Compare towns
New Gloucester vs South Berwick vs Pownal
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 most affordable homes ($357k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | South Berwick | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766 |
7,670Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
| Pownal and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester 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% |
15.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$99,572±$13kLowest 33% above ME |
$104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Pownal and South Berwick 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 |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,956 63% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and South Berwick 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— |
| 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.