Compare towns
Appleton vs Brunswick vs Westbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (18%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Appleton | Brunswick | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
17,652 |
20,775Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.9±2.2 15% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Westbrook and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.