Compare towns
Topsham vs Sidney vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Berwick has the most renters (27% rent).
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 | Topsham | Sidney | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
4,790 |
1,998Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
42.6±3.6Lowest 5% below ME |
| Topsham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±12.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$81,406±$39kLowest 9% above ME |
| Topsham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$323,300±$36kLowest 9% above ME |
| Topsham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,041±$901Lowest 9% below ME |
| Topsham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,806 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.