Compare towns
South Berwick vs Hermon vs New Gloucester vs South 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 people working from home (17.6%).
Hermon has the shortest commute (23 min average).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
South Berwick has the most renters (33% rent).
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 | New Gloucester | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
6,727 |
5,766 |
3,381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
41.4±6.2Highest 8% below ME |
| South Berwick 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%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon 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% ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon 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 33% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$90,972±$22kLowest 22% above ME |
| New Gloucester 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±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$396,700±$66k 34% above ME |
| South Berwick 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 |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,702±$76 49% above ME |
| South Berwick and South 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 |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$4,523 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick 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% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Hermon High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— | — |
| 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.