Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gray vs Topsham vs Freeport
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 most renters (28.8% rent).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k 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 | Gray | Topsham | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
8,429Lowest |
9,706 |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport and Topsham 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 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Topsham 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% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% 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 |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.2 |
12.2 |
| 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.