Compare towns
Harpswell vs Readfield 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).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Brunswick has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Harpswell | Readfield | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,046 |
2,651Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
| Harpswell and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,348±$53 18% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.7%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Harpswell 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 38 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
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.