Compare towns
South Berwick vs Carmel
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 people working from home (13.9%).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Carmel |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,381Highest |
2,941Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±6.2Lowest 8% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
| Carmel and South Berwick 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% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Carmel 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% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Berwick and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $90,972±$22kHighest 22% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| South Berwick and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,700±$66kHighest 34% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,523Highest 49% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±30.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and South Berwick 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 19% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 13.9%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Carmel 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 | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| 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.