Compare towns
Waterboro vs Berwick vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterboro has the most affordable homes ($297k median).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Alfred has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Waterboro | Berwick | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055 |
8,175Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1 6% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Alfred and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterboro and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
| Berwick and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $297,000±$23kLowest about the ME average |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
| Berwick and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461 5% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Berwick and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Waterboro 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 | #80 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | Massabesic High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.