Compare towns
South Berwick vs Gray vs Hermon vs Gorham
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 kids (26.7% under 18).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Gray | Hermon | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
8,429 |
6,727Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Hermon 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Gorham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,371±$89Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
| South Berwick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and South 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
12.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
12.9 |
| 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.