Compare towns
Brunswick vs Vinalhaven 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 youngest population (median age 40).
Vinalhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Vinalhaven | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
1,216Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$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±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$428,400±$44kHighest 44% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and West Bath 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 |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% 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 |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | — | 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.