Compare towns
Hampden vs Gray vs Berwick 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
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($301k median).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
South Berwick has the most expensive homes ($428k 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 | Hampden | Gray | Berwick | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,896 |
8,429Highest |
8,175 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$94,771±$24kLowest 27% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Hampden and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| South Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | 13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.