Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gorham vs Wayne vs Bath
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k 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.
| Measure | Brunswick | Gorham | Wayne | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652 |
18,300Highest |
1,101Lowest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Brunswick 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Lowest 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±$5k 5% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Gorham and Wayne 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below 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 |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bath 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bath 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.