Compare towns
Brunswick vs Pownal 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).
Pownal has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Pownal | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,696Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Pownal and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Topsham 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% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Pownal 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% |
49%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Pownal and Topsham 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 |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Brunswick and Topsham 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 |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Brunswick 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 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.