Compare towns

Brunswick vs Gorham vs Jay

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brunswick has the most renters (33.7% rent).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).

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.

MeasureBrunswickGorhamJay
People
Population
17,652
18,300Highest
471Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+12.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+11.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.9±2.2Lowest
about the U.S. average
39.4±2.9
about the U.S. average
52.1±10.5Highest
34% above U.S.
Jay and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.1%±2.5
U.S.: 22%
20.9%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.2%±7.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Gorham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.5%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
51.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
45.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
15.4%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
13.1%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
1.9%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brunswick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,722±$5kLowest
12% below U.S.
$112,312±$6kHighest
39% above U.S.
$74,792±$25k
7% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,200±$18k
9% above U.S.
$460,900±$26kHighest
39% above U.S.
$234,200±$45kLowest
30% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,465±$100Lowest
4% above U.S.
$1,680±$355Highest
19% above U.S.
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Gorham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,477
44% above U.S.
$4,825Highest
55% above U.S.
$3,588Lowest
15% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
58.8%±9.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.9%±8.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±100
U.S.: 51.1%
Brunswick and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
66.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
97%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1988
8 yrs newer than U.S.
2001Highest
21 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
40 minHighest
50% above U.S.
Work from home
18%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
27.3%±13.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Jay and Gorham 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 #24 of 133 in ME —
School district — Gorham Public Schools Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District
High school in town — Gorham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.9
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.