What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k median).

Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bangor	Brunswick
People
Population	31,938Highest	22,336Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±1.3Highest 8% below ME	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME
	Bangor and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Brunswick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Brunswick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	53.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME	$74,952±$6kHighest about the ME average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME	$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME	$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,076Lowest about the ME average	$4,756Highest 57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 33% below ME	23 minHighest 5% below ME
Work from home	10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 133 in ME	#30 of 133 in ME
School district	Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10
High school in town	Bangor High School	Brunswick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.