Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Belgrade vs Berwick vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Belgrade has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($369k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | New Gloucester | Belgrade | Berwick | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,766 |
3,351Lowest |
8,175Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Berwick and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 13% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 18 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.