Compare towns
Bath vs Brunswick vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Topsham has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Bath | Brunswick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
17,652Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Brunswick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Brunswick 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.