Compare towns
Brunswick vs Durham vs Westbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Durham | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
4,262Lowest |
20,775Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2 15% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Durham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Westbrook 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 |
— | $1,392±$74Lowest 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,781Lowest 25% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 05 | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.