Compare towns
Brunswick vs Appleton 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 youngest population (median age 40).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Appleton | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Brunswick and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Appleton Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.