Compare towns
Berwick vs Bow vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most affordable homes ($369k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
South Berwick has the most renters (21.7% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Berwick | Bow | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175 |
8,335Highest |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #101 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.