Compare towns
Brunswick vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has the most affordable homes ($376k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brunswick and Lancaster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 7% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99 4% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Nashoba | Sutton | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | Sutton High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.6 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.