Compare towns
North Berwick vs Hollis vs Sidney vs Wells
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 highest household income ($102k).
Hollis has the most renters (12.4% rent).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Hollis | Sidney | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,129 |
4,872 |
4,790Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
43.8±4.2 about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 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%±5 ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis and North Berwick 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 |
$95,950±$24k 28% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| North Berwick and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
$338,900±$27k 14% above ME |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Hollis and Wells 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 |
$2,625 14% below ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Hollis 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% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Hollis 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 | #88 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 18 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Noble High School | None in town | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | — | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.