Compare towns
North Berwick vs Sidney vs West Gardiner
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
West Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Sidney | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129Highest |
4,790 |
3,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| North Berwick and West Gardiner 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 |
$305,100±$42kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116 about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
| Sidney and North Berwick 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and West Gardiner 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% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5Lowest 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 | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 18 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Noble High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.