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 (17.6%).
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.

MeasureSouth BerwickCarmel
People
Population
7,670Highest
2,941Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+2.6%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
39±2.5Lowest
13% below ME
46.4±4.5Highest
4% above ME
Kids under 18
26.7%±6Highest
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+
15.8%±3Lowest
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+
41.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
17.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.2%±1.9Highest
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
$99,572±$13kHighest
33% 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
$428,300±$26kHighest
44% above ME
$256,800±$37kLowest
13% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,726±$83Highest
52% above ME
$1,276±$187Lowest
12% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,956Highest
63% above ME
$2,662Lowest
12% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
53.5%±24.5Lowest
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
3.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
13.6%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
87.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
1996Highest
19 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
9% above ME
25 minLowest
about the ME average
Work from home
17.6%±5.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
6.5%±4.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #58 of 133 in ME #77 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 35/MSAD 35 RSU 87/MSAD 23
High school in town Marshwood High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
13.0
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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.