Compare towns
South Berwick vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k 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 | South Berwick | Bangor |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,381Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±6.2Highest 8% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| South Berwick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $90,972±$22kHighest 22% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,700±$66kHighest 34% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,523Highest 49% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±30.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 19% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Bangor 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
| 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.