Compare towns
North Berwick vs Saco 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 highest household income ($102k).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
Sidney has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
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 | Saco | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129 |
20,819Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Saco 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| North Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco 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 |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| North Berwick and Saco 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 |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
| North Berwick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,735 23% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Saco 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and North 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Saco Public Schools | 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.