Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Brunswick vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Phippsburg | Brunswick | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,238Lowest |
22,336Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Brunswick and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Phippsburg 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 | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.