Compare towns
Topsham vs Gray vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
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 | Gray | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,271Lowest |
8,429 |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.9Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,024±$18kHighest 34% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,500±$24kHighest 31% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,491±$1kHighest 31% above ME |
$1,371±$89Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,465±$100 29% above ME |
| Topsham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,431 46% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±14.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 3% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.