Compare towns
Berwick vs Kittery vs Topsham 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 youngest population (median age 40.7).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
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 | Kittery | Topsham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,175 |
10,473Highest |
9,706 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Kittery 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 |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Berwick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430 27% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
| Kittery and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 46% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.