Compare towns
North Berwick vs Wells vs York 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 youngest population (median age 41.6).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
York has the most people working from home (26%).
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 | Wells | York | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,129Lowest |
11,713 |
13,986 |
22,247Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Wells and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and York 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% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and York 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% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8 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±$16k 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
| York and North Berwick 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±$23k 64% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,152±$72 about the ME average |
| York and Wells 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and York 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #82 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | York Public Schools | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Noble High School | Wells High School | York High School | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
17.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.