Compare towns
Gray vs Brunswick vs Lisbon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
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 | Gray | Brunswick | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
17,652Highest |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
| Gray and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
| Gray and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Brunswick 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 15.8Highest |
| 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.