Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gorham vs Ellsworth
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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.
| Measure | Brunswick | Gorham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
18,300 |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
| Ellsworth 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%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Ellsworth 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Ellsworth 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Gorham and Brunswick 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Gorham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Gorham High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.7 |
| 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.