What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).

Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k 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	Gardiner
People
Population	22,336Highest	6,088Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME	42±3.6Highest 6% below ME
	Gardiner and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Brunswick and Gardiner 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%	19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Brunswick and Gardiner 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%	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,952±$6kHighest about the ME average	$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME
	Brunswick and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,756Highest 57% above ME	$2,742Lowest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Gardiner 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%	10.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 5% below ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Brunswick and Gardiner 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	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	Brunswick High School	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.8Highest
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.