Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gorham vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has the most renters (33.7% rent).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Topsham has the oldest population (median age 44.7).
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 | Gorham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
18,300Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 5% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| 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 47% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.