Compare towns
Brunswick vs Freeport vs Kennebunk vs Saco
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).
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Freeport | Kennebunk | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
8,802Lowest |
11,820 |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Kennebunk 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% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Freeport and Kennebunk 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 |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Brunswick and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Lowest 57% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 | RSU 21 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Freeport High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
11.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.