Compare towns
Brunswick vs Topsham 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 the most people working from home (19.8%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
9,706 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Brunswick 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% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Topsham 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% |
50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above 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 |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Topsham 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 75/MSAD 75 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| 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.