Compare towns
Freeport vs Brunswick vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
Pownal has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Freeport | Brunswick | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802 |
22,336Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
53.9% ME: 36.2% |
49%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$436,800±$32k 47% above ME |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
| Brunswick and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042 66% above ME |
$4,756Lowest 57% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.