Compare towns
Brunswick vs Vinalhaven 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 renters (33.7% rent).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Vinalhaven | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
1,216Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest 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% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$72,963±$11k about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Gorham and Vinalhaven 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 |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below 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 |
$3,598Lowest 19% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Vinalhaven 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven 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 | — | — | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school 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 |
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.