What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brunswick has the most expensive homes ($376k median).

Caribou has the most affordable homes ($134k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brunswick	Caribou
People
Population	22,336Highest	7,382Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME
Kids under 18	17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1%	16.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Brunswick and Caribou 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%	27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou and Brunswick 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%	28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,952±$6kHighest about the ME average	$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,756Highest 57% above ME	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Caribou 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%	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 5% below ME	15 minLowest 40% below ME
Work from home	19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%	12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Brunswick and Caribou 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	#59 of 133 in ME
School district	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10	RSU 39
High school in town	Brunswick High School	Caribou High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	14.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.