Compare towns
South Berwick vs New Gloucester vs Gorham vs Hermon
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).
New Gloucester has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Gorham has the most people working from home (19%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | New Gloucester | Gorham | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
5,766Lowest |
18,300Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
41.1±4.7Highest 8% below ME |
| Hermon and New Gloucester 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% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Gorham 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% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$96,629±$22kLowest 29% above ME |
| Gorham and New Gloucester 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 |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% 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 |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% 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 |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Gorham 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% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Gorham Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | None in town | Gorham High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
— | 12.9Lowest |
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.