Compare towns
Brunswick vs Ellsworth vs Kittery
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).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k 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 | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
8,657Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
| Kittery and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery 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% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Ellsworth Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Ellsworth High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.