Compare towns

Berwick vs Harpswell

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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Harpswell has the most expensive homes ($610k median).

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.

MeasureBerwickHarpswell
People
Population
8,175Highest
5,046Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.7%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+6.1%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
40.7±2.9Lowest
9% below ME
62±1.5Highest
38% above ME
Kids under 18
22.7%±4.4Highest
ME: 18.1%
8.8%±2.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
17.2%±4.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
38.6%±4.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
35%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
52.9%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.9%±2.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Berwick and Harpswell 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
27% above ME
$96,250±$15kHighest
29% above ME
Harpswell and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$369,100±$19kLowest
24% above ME
$609,700±$60kHighest
106% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,452±$430Highest
27% above ME
$1,348±$53Lowest
18% above ME
Berwick and Harpswell 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
$3,141Lowest
3% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.6%±46Highest
ME: 48.4%
24.9%±5.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Berwick and Harpswell 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%
5.6%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
83.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1989Highest
12 yrs newer than ME
1979Lowest
2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minLowest
20% above ME
30 minHighest
20% above ME
Work from home
20.2%±7.6Lowest
ME: 15.9%
20.7%±6.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
Harpswell 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 —
School district RSU 60/MSAD 60 RSU 75/MSAD 75
High school in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.