Compare towns
Brunswick vs Bristol vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bristol has the highest household income ($101k).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Brunswick | Bristol | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
2,917Lowest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3% ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
| Bristol and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 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 | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1968 9 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.