Compare towns
Braintree vs South Berwick vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Braintree | South Berwick | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
7,670 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Braintree 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.