Compare towns
Topsham vs Gardiner 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).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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.
| Measure | Topsham | Gardiner | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
6,088Lowest |
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±4Highest about the ME average |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| Topsham and Gardiner 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest 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%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 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% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below 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±$642 19% above ME |
$1,113±$191Lowest 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 | $4,259 40% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Gardiner 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% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest 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 | #36 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Gardiner Area High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.8 |
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.