What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).

North Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rockland	North Berwick
People
Population	7,035Highest	5,129Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.3±6Highest 10% above ME	41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME
	Rockland and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1%
	North Berwick and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4%	20.9%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Rockland and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.6%Highest ME: 36.2%	29%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	North Berwick and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME	$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME	$428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,092±$105Lowest 4% below ME	$1,105±$116Highest about the ME average
	North Berwick and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,059Highest 34% above ME	$3,735Lowest 23% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±15.3Lowest ME: 48.4%	66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	North Berwick and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62%Lowest ME: 74.3%	88.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	12 minLowest 50% below ME	31 minHighest 27% above ME
Work from home	22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9%	15%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Rockland 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	#96 of 133 in ME	#82 of 133 in ME
School district	Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13	RSU 60/MSAD 60
High school in town	Oceanside High School	Noble High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	12.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.