Compare towns
Carmel vs Hermon vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Hermon has the shortest commute (23 min average).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Carmel | Hermon | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
6,727Highest |
3,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.4±6.2 8% below ME |
| Carmel and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon 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 | $82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$90,972±$22k 22% above ME |
| Hermon and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$396,700±$66kHighest 34% above ME |
| South Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$4,523Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Hermon 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Hermon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hermon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— |
| 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.