Compare towns
South Berwick vs Sidney vs Eliot vs Gray
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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Sidney | Eliot | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
4,790Lowest |
7,146 |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Eliot and Gray 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% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Gray 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% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Eliot 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±$83 52% above ME |
$1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Eliot 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Eliot 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 18 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | — | 12.5Lowest |
| 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.