Compare towns
Brunswick vs Orrington 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 most renters (28.8% rent).
Orrington has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
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 | Orrington | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
3,853Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham 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% |
23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest 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 |
$94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$309,000±$49kLowest 4% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$1,167±$135Lowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Gorham 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 | #41 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Orrington Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | 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 |
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.