Compare towns
Ellsworth 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).
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 | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
3,381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.4±6.2Lowest 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% |
21.7%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Ellsworth 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% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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 | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$90,972±$22kHighest 22% above ME |
| South Berwick and Ellsworth 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 |
$396,700±$66kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,523Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Ellsworth 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 | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.