Compare towns
Eliot vs Wilmot vs Portsmouth 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%).
Wilmot has the highest household income ($118k).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
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 | Wilmot | Portsmouth | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,487Lowest |
22,545Highest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53±2.4Highest 36% above U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wilmot and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Wilmot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Berwick and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$117,759±$15kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Wilmot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$399,600±$43kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,125±$289Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,651 113% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±41.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Wilmot 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 | — | #11 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Portsmouth School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Portsmouth High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.