Compare towns
Brunswick vs Freeport vs Mapleton vs Westbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Freeport | Mapleton | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
8,802 |
1,884Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Freeport and Mapleton 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% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Freeport 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%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport 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% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Freeport and Mapleton 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 |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,392±$74 22% 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 | $4,756 57% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Brunswick 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Freeport High School | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.