Compare towns
Brunswick vs Westbrook vs South Portland
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 homeowners (66.3%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
South Portland has the most expensive homes ($441k 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 | Westbrook | South Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652Lowest |
20,775 |
26,930Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2 15% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
40.9±2.1Highest 9% below ME |
| South Portland and Brunswick 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% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and South Portland 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% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$86,838±$7kHighest 16% above ME |
| South Portland and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$441,200±$17kHighest 49% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$1,392±$74Lowest 22% above ME |
$1,812±$97Highest 59% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$4,005Lowest 32% above ME |
$4,359 44% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.6%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and South Portland 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% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
58.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 7% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.5%±2.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Portland 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #52 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Westbrook Public Schools | Arthur R. Gould Sch--LCYDC · South Portland Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Westbrook High School | South Portland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.