Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mapleton vs Strong
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the oldest population (median age 47.5).
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 | Mapleton | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
| Strong and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Strong 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.