Compare towns
Brunswick vs Topsham vs Gorham vs West Bath
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 renters (33.7% rent).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Topsham | Gorham | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652 |
9,706 |
18,300Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath 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% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest 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 |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Gorham and West Bath 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 |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Gorham and West Bath 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 |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Gorham Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Mt Ararat High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.