Compare towns
Sidney vs Eliot vs Gray vs North Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
North Berwick has the youngest population (median age 41.6).
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 | Sidney | Eliot | Gray | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
7,146 |
8,429Highest |
5,129 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
| Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1 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+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
| North Berwick and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
| Eliot and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5Highest |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.