Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mapleton vs Wayne vs Gorham
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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Mapleton | Wayne | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,884 |
1,101Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gorham 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Wayne 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | — | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.