Compare towns
Brunswick vs Gray vs Topsham 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).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
8,429Lowest |
9,706 |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%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 |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray 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%±4 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest 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%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Gray and Saco 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 |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Brunswick and Gray 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 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 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Saco 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 | #38 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 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.2 |
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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.