Compare towns
Lisbon vs Berwick vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Lisbon | Berwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
8,175Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.