Compare towns
Topsham vs Brunswick vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.7%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k 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 | Topsham | Brunswick | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,271Lowest |
22,336Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.9 about the ME average |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,024±$18kHighest 34% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
| Topsham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,500±$24k 31% above ME |
$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,491±$1k 31% above ME |
$1,469±$99Lowest 29% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
| Kittery and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,431Lowest 46% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±14.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 3% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Brunswick High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.