Compare towns
South Berwick vs Readfield 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 expensive homes ($428k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Readfield | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
2,651Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest 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±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% 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 |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Readfield 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 38 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
11.5Lowest |
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.