What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).

South Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).

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	South Berwick
People
Population	7,035Lowest	7,670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+3.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.3±6Highest 10% above ME	39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4%	15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	41.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	South 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	$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME	$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,092±$105Lowest 4% below ME	$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,059Lowest 34% above ME	$4,956Highest 63% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4%	53.5%±24.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Rockland and South Berwick 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%	3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62%Lowest ME: 74.3%	78.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	12 minLowest 50% below ME	27 minHighest 9% above ME
Work from home	22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9%	17.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Rockland and South 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	#58 of 133 in ME
School district	Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13	RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town	Oceanside High School	Marshwood High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	13.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.