Compare towns
South Berwick vs Pownal 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).
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
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 | Pownal | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
1,696Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Pownal 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% |
24.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Pownal 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% |
23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Hermon 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% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest 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 |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$96,629±$22kLowest 29% above ME |
| Pownal 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 |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
| Pownal 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 |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956 63% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal 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% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal 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 |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 05 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.