Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gray vs Hampden 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Gray | Hampden | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest 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% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Hampden and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Gray and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
14.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.