Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gardiner vs Mapleton
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%).
Gardiner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1944).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Gardiner | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
6,088 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Gardiner and Mapleton 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%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gardiner 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%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Gardiner 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±$19k 25% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | Gardiner Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.