Compare towns

Harpswell vs Brunswick

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harpswell has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Brunswick has the most kids (17.2% 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.

MeasureHarpswellBrunswick
People
Population
5,046Lowest
22,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+7.3%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
62±1.5Highest
38% above ME
40±2.8Lowest
11% below ME
Kids under 18
8.8%±2.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
17.2%±2.2Highest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
38.6%±4.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
22.9%±2.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52.9%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
53.9%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.9%±2.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
13.3%±1.1Highest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$96,250±$15kHighest
29% above ME
$74,952±$6kLowest
about the ME average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$609,700±$60kHighest
106% above ME
$376,300±$15kLowest
27% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,348±$53Lowest
18% above ME
$1,469±$99Highest
29% above ME
Brunswick and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,141Lowest
3% above ME
$4,756Highest
57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
24.9%±5.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±8.8Highest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
5.6%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
7.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
83.3%Highest
ME: 74.3%
71.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Lowest
2 yrs newer than ME
1982Highest
5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
20% above ME
23 minLowest
5% below ME
Work from home
20.7%±6.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
19.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Harpswell 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 — #30 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 75/MSAD 75 Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10
High school in town None in town Brunswick High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.