Compare towns
Brunswick vs Ellsworth vs Eliot
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%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k 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 | Ellsworth | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
8,657 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
| Eliot and Ellsworth 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% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477 47% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick 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% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Eliot 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | — | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.