Compare towns
Sidney vs Standish vs Durham 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%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
North Berwick has the most expensive homes ($429k 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 | Sidney | Standish | Durham | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790 |
10,662Highest |
4,262Lowest |
5,129 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
41.6±4.7 7% below ME |
| Sidney and Durham 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| North Berwick and Sidney 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% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
| Standish and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$428,500±$33kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
— | $1,105±$116 about the ME average |
| Sidney and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 05 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | 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.