What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).

Waterboro has the most affordable homes ($297k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Berwick	Waterboro
People
Population	8,175Highest	8,055Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6%	+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME	42±3.1Highest 6% below ME
	Waterboro 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 ME: 18.1%	22.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Berwick and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%	14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Berwick and Waterboro 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%	24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8%
	Waterboro 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	$89,392±$16kLowest 20% above ME
	Berwick and Waterboro 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	$297,000±$23kLowest about the ME average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME	$1,200±$461Lowest 5% above ME
	Berwick and Waterboro 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	$2,772Lowest 9% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4%	50.2%±12.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Berwick and Waterboro 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%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 20% above ME	35 minHighest 42% above ME
Work from home	20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9%	10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Berwick and Waterboro 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	#80 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 60/MSAD 60	RSU 57/MSAD 57
High school in town	None in town	Massabesic High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.