Compare towns
Wells vs Hermon vs South 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).
South Berwick has the most renters (33% 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 | Wells | Hermon | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
6,727 |
3,381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.4±6.2 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5.4Highest 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+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon and Wells 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±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$90,972±$22k 22% above ME |
| Hermon and South Berwick 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 |
$396,700±$66k 34% above ME |
| Wells and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215 6% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,523Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Wells 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Hermon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Hermon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
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.