Compare towns
Hermon vs South Berwick vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has the most homeowners (75.2%).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Hermon | South Berwick | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,727 |
3,381Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.4±6.2 8% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% 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 | 21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest 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+ | 37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest 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 | $96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$90,972±$22k 22% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% 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 | $333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$396,700±$66kHighest 34% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below 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 | $1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,523Highest 49% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest 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 | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| 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.