Compare towns
South Berwick vs Bow vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Berwick has the most affordable homes ($369k 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 | Bow | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Lowest |
8,335Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430Lowest about the U.S. average |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956 59% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bow School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.