Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mount Desert vs Gorham
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 affordable homes ($363k median).
Mount Desert has the oldest population (median age 54.9).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
1,671Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert 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% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 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±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above 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 |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Gorham 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 |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| 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.