Compare towns
Exeter vs Brunswick vs Garland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Garland has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Brunswick | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
22,336Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
53.5±4.3Highest 19% above ME |
| Garland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Garland and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Exeter and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$205,400±$38k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$794±$248Lowest 30% below ME |
| Brunswick and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Exeter 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Brunswick High School | — |
| 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.