Compare towns
Brunswick vs Strong 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%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Strong | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Brunswick 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Brunswick 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 |
$920±$276Lowest 19% 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 | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%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 |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Strong 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 58/MSAD 58 | 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 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.