Compare towns
Eliot vs Fall River vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Eliot | Fall River | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
94,082Highest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Berwick and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,956Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Berwick and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #262 of 282 in MA | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.