Compare towns
Topsham vs Gray vs Brunswick vs Lisbon Falls
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%).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Lisbon Falls has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Gray | Brunswick | Lisbon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
8,429 |
22,336Highest |
4,267Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
41.1±4.4 8% below ME |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±3.6 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$72,344±$9kLowest 3% below ME |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$245,700±$25kLowest 17% below ME |
| Brunswick and Gray 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 |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$971±$450Lowest 15% below 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$2,947Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.9%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
70.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | — |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Brunswick High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.5Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.