Compare towns
South Berwick vs Topsham vs Naples 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).
Topsham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1980).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Topsham | Naples | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
9,706Highest |
3,985Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Naples and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4Lowest 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% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Naples 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% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.9% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Hermon 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 |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$78,188±$13kLowest 5% 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 |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83 52% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Naples 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 |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$2,784 8% below ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Naples 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #118 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Mt Ararat High School | Lake Region High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
12.2 |
11.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.