Compare towns
Brunswick vs Readfield 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).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Readfield | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
2,651Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% 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±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$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 | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Topsham 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 38 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.5 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.