Compare towns
Brunswick vs Ellsworth vs Windham
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
8,657Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Windham 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Ellsworth 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% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Brunswick and Windham 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 |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | — | Ellsworth High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.