Compare towns
South Berwick vs Hermon vs Gray vs Berwick
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).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Hermon | Gray | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
6,727Lowest |
8,429Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% 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% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Berwick 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hermon 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 |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$94,771±$24kLowest 27% above ME |
| South Berwick and Hermon 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 |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,371±$89Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
| South Berwick and Berwick 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 |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 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% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Hermon High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
14.6Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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| 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.