Compare towns
Topsham vs Brunswick 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 highest household income ($91k).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Lowest |
22,336Highest |
17,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
40±2.8 11% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% 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%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest 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% |
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+ | 50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Brunswick 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 |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Brunswick 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 |
$1,465±$100 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Brunswick 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 |
$4,477 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Brunswick 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick 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 | #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 | 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.