Compare towns
China vs Berwick vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | China | Berwick | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Lowest |
8,175Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 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+ | 21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| China and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Berwick and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| China and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kLowest 19% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above 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 |
$1,340±$304Lowest 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 | $2,535 17% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | 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.