Compare towns
Brunswick vs Brewer vs Phippsburg
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%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Brewer | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
9,652 |
2,238Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
| Brunswick and Phippsburg 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 |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Brewer 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Phippsburg 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
14.0Highest |
— |
| 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.