Compare towns
Ellsworth 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
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Hermon has the most homeowners (75.2%).
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 | Ellsworth | Hermon | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
6,727 |
3,381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.4±6.2 8% below ME |
| Ellsworth and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% 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 | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% 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 | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,523Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1981 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 | 7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Hermon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| 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.