Compare towns
Brunswick vs Pownal 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 affordable homes ($376k median).
Pownal has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Pownal | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,696Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Pownal and Brunswick 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% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Westbrook 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% |
23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal 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% |
49% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Pownal 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 |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below 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 | $4,756 57% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$4,005Lowest 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 | 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.