Compare towns
North Berwick vs Unity 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).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($207k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129Highest |
1,858Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and North Berwick 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116 about the ME average |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Noble High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.