Compare towns
Brunswick vs Pownal vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Pownal has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,696Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Pownal 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% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Pownal and West Bath 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 |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Pownal and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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 |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.