Compare towns
Franklin vs Berwick vs West Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most renters (23.2% rent).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
West Paris has the most affordable homes ($193k median).
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 | Franklin | Berwick | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628Lowest |
8,175Highest |
1,808 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% below ME |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$193,000±$20kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306 22% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$838±$333Lowest 26% below ME |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Berwick 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.