Compare towns
Berwick vs Brewer vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Brewer | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175 |
9,652Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and 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±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Sidney 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.