Compare towns
Brunswick vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester 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% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Brunswick 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% |
22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Manchester 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% |
47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Brunswick 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 |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Manchester 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 | — |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.