Compare towns
North Berwick vs Sidney vs Sanford
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).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | North Berwick | Sidney | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129 |
4,790Lowest |
22,247Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Sidney and Sanford 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2Lowest 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| North Berwick and Sanford 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% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8 ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Sanford 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,152±$72 about the ME average |
| Sidney and Sanford 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Sanford 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 18 | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Noble High School | None in town | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 17.7Highest |
| 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.