Compare towns
Topsham vs Kittery 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 the most homeowners (78.9%).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Kittery | Brunswick | Lisbon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
10,473 |
17,652Highest |
4,267Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
41.1±4.4 8% below ME |
| Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Topsham 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% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$72,344±$9k 3% below ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$245,700±$25kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,465±$100 29% above ME |
$971±$450Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kittery and Brunswick 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 |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,477 47% above ME |
$2,947Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.9%±18Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Kittery Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.