Compare towns
Brunswick vs Nelson vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has the most renters (33.7% rent).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k 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 | Nelson | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
648Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.3±11.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Nelson and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 12% below U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18k 9% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 4% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Nelson School District | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.