Compare towns
Appleton vs Brunswick vs West Bath
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 youngest population (median age 40).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
22,336Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Appleton 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% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Brunswick and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest 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% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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 | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.