What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brunswick	Townsend
People
Population	22,336Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.
	Townsend 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 U.S.: 22%	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,952±$6kLowest 7% below U.S.	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$376,300±$15kLowest 13% above U.S.	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$99 4% above U.S.	$1,469±$313 4% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,756Lowest 52% above U.S.	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brunswick and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 11% below U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	19.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#30 of 133 in ME	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10	North Middlesex
High school in town	Brunswick High School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.