Compare towns
Brunswick vs Brewer vs Westbrook
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 homeowners (71.2%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
9,652Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
40.1±4.8Highest 10% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Brewer and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Westbrook 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% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Brewer 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Westbrook 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% 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 | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,392±$74 22% 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 | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Brewer Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Brewer High School | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
14.0Highest |
12.0 |
| 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.