Compare towns
Rome vs Brunswick vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Brunswick has the most renters (28.8% rent).
Belgrade has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Rome | Brunswick | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
22,336Highest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Rome and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Rome and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
| Belgrade and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
| Brunswick and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.