Compare towns

Berwick vs Durham vs Durham vs North 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).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
North Berwick has the oldest population (median age 41.6).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureBerwickDurhamDurhamNorth Berwick
People
Population
8,175
10,681
15,080Highest
5,129Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.7±2.9
5% above U.S.
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
20.8±0.3
47% below U.S.
41.6±4.7Highest
7% above U.S.
North Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
6.5%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
21.2%±5.1
U.S.: 22%
Berwick and North Berwick 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%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
20.9%±5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
North Berwick 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
29%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
70.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.7%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,771±$24kLowest
17% above U.S.
$112,070±$25k
39% above U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$101,875±$16k
26% above U.S.
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$369,100±$19kLowest
11% above U.S.
$498,000±$45k
50% above U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$428,500±$33k
29% above U.S.
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,452±$430Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,302±$211
8% below U.S.
$1,429±$143
about the U.S. average
$1,105±$116Lowest
22% below U.S.
Berwick and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,436
42% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$3,735Lowest
20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.6%±46Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.4%±19.2
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.2%±28.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
53.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
12% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
31 minHighest
18% above U.S.
Work from home
20.2%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
15%±5.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Berwick and Durham 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 #9 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH #82 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 60/MSAD 60 — Oyster River Coop School District RSU 60/MSAD 60
High school in town None in town — Oyster River High School Noble High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.3Highest
12.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.