Compare towns
Brunswick vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k 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 | Bangor |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 22,336Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Bangor and Brunswick 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% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Bangor 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% |
35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kHighest about the ME average |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.