Compare towns
Brunswick vs Vinalhaven vs Gorham
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 renters (28.8% rent).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Vinalhaven | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,216Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham 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% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Gorham and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756 57% above ME |
$3,598Lowest 19% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Vinalhaven 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Vinalhaven 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | — | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | — | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.