What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brunswick	Gardiner
People
Population	17,652Highest	6,088Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME	42±3.6Highest 6% below ME
	Gardiner 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%	16.6%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Gardiner and Brunswick 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%	19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Brunswick and Gardiner 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%	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME	$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME
	Gardiner and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,477Highest 47% above ME	$2,742Lowest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest same as ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 7% below ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Brunswick and Gardiner 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	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	—	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	—	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.