Compare towns
Brunswick vs Kennebunk vs Brewer
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%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Kennebunk | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
11,820 |
9,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Brunswick and Kennebunk 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Brewer 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 21 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Kennebunk High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.