Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Brunswick vs Hampden
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Mapleton | Brunswick | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,884Lowest |
22,336Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Brunswick and Gray 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Brunswick High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 10.9Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.