Compare towns
Brunswick vs Wells vs Westbrook
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%).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Westbrook has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Wells | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
11,713Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8 11% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Wells and Westbrook 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | Wells High School | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.4 |
12.0Highest |
| 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.