Compare towns
Brunswick vs Wiscasset 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).
Wiscasset has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Wiscasset | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,652 |
3,874Lowest |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
48.8±6.3Highest 9% above ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest 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% |
28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset 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% |
36.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$71,118±$37k 5% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Wiscasset 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 |
$325,200±$26kLowest 10% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Lowest 29% above ME |
$1,518±$485 33% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Wiscasset 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 |
$3,550Lowest 17% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset 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 | #108 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Wiscasset Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Wiscasset Middle/High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.