Compare towns
North Berwick vs Wells 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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,129 |
11,713Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest 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%±5 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| North Berwick and Wells 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Wells and Sidney 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Wells 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% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Noble High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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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.