Compare towns
Wells vs Hermon vs Berwick vs North Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Hermon has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
North Berwick has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Wells | Hermon | Berwick | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
6,727 |
8,175 |
5,129Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
41.6±4.7 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
| North Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
$428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
| Berwick and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215 6% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Hermon High School | None in town | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— | 12.0 |
| 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.