Compare towns
Naples vs South 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
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Naples | South Berwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,985Lowest |
7,670 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Naples and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,188±$13kLowest 5% above ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| South Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,726±$83 52% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Naples and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Naples and South 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Lake Region High School | Marshwood High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
13.0Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.