Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% 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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Highest |
1,671Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Topsham 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% |
50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Topsham 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% 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 |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.