Compare towns
Brunswick vs Westbrook 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 the most people working from home (18%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Topsham has the most homeowners (78.9%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
20,775Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2 15% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Westbrook 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% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham 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±$18k 22% above ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Westbrook and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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 |
$4,005Lowest 32% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | Westbrook High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.