Compare towns
South Berwick vs Readfield vs New Gloucester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
2,651Lowest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
| Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Berwick and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% 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 |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest 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 | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 38 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
11.5Lowest |
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| 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.