Compare towns
Brunswick vs Hampden vs Ogunquit 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).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Hampden | Ogunquit | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
7,896 |
1,379Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Hampden 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 |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
— | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Brunswick and Topsham 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 |
$3,694Lowest 22% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 22 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | Hampden Academy | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.