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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | 6,727Lowest |
7,670 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Hermon 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% |
26.7%±6Highest 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% |
15.8%±3Lowest 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% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest 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±$22k 29% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| South Berwick and Hermon 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 |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8Highest 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 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | Marshwood High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
13.0 |
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.