Compare towns
Topsham vs Brunswick vs Gray vs Bowdoinham
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 (19.9% under 18).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bowdoinham has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Gray | Bowdoinham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
17,652Highest |
8,429 |
3,142Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
| Bowdoinham 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% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±6.8 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+ | 24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±6.7 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+ | 50% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Gray 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 |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
— |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 40% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,958Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #73 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.