Compare towns
Bowdoinham 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
Bowdoinham has the highest household income ($108k).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Bowdoinham | Brunswick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,142Lowest |
22,336Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Bowdoinham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 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 | $2,958Lowest about the ME average |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.