Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mount Desert vs Westbrook
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 people working from home (19.8%).
Mount Desert has the oldest population (median age 54.9).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Mount Desert | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,671Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Brunswick 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert 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% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Mount Desert 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Mount Desert Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.