Compare towns
Paris vs Brunswick vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Madison has the most affordable homes ($188k 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 | Paris | Brunswick | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,317 |
22,336Highest |
4,782Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Madison and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
| Paris and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$187,600±$40kLowest 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,649 13% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$1,983Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.2% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 9% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.4%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Paris 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.