Compare towns
South Berwick vs Sidney 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).
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
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 | Sidney | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
4,790Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% 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 |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Hermon 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% 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 | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick and Sidney 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 | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 18 | 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.