What stands out worked out from the figures below

Topsham has the highest household income ($91k).

Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Topsham	Brunswick
People
Population	9,706Lowest	22,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	+7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.7±4Highest about the ME average	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME
	Topsham and Brunswick 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%	17.2%±2.2Lowest 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%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4%	22.9%±2.2Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2%	53.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME	$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME	$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME
	Brunswick and Topsham 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	$1,469±$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	$4,756Highest 57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Topsham 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%	7.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 4% below ME	23 minLowest 5% below ME
Work from home	17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Brunswick and Topsham 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
School district	RSU 75/MSAD 75	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10
High school in town	Mt Ararat High School	Brunswick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.