Compare towns
Lisbon vs Brunswick vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Lisbon | Brunswick | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750 |
17,652Highest |
6,309Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
40.2±6.9Highest 10% below ME |
| Oakland and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Lisbon and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286 14% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | — | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | — | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 14.2Lowest |
| 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.