Compare towns
Brunswick vs Topsham vs Westbrook vs Windham
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 the oldest population (median age 44.7).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Westbrook | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
9,706Lowest |
20,775 |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Topsham and Windham 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Windham 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% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Westbrook 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 |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% 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 | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
$3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Windham 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Mt Ararat High School | Westbrook High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
12.0 |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.