Compare towns
Berwick vs Surry 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%).
Surry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Surry | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Highest |
1,836Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Surry and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Berwick and Surry 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 |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$969±$129Lowest 15% 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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% |
7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest 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 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.