Compare towns
Berwick vs Mars Hill 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%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Mars Hill | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Highest |
1,398Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% 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 |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Mars Hill 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% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.