Compare towns
Topsham vs Bar Harbor 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
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 | Bar Harbor | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
5,244Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 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+ | 24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
53.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor 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 | #2 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Mt Desert Island High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
8.2Lowest |
10.9 |
| 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.