Compare towns
Brunswick vs Naples vs Topsham
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).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Naples | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
3,985Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Naples 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% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Naples 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% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Naples 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 |
$340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Naples and Brunswick 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 |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Brunswick 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% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Lake Region High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.7 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.