Compare towns
North Berwick vs Carmel vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Berwick has the most expensive homes ($429k median).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | North Berwick | Carmel | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129Highest |
2,941Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Carmel and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| North Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| North Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,735Highest 23% above ME |
$2,662 12% below ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| North Berwick and Sidney 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Noble High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
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| 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.