Compare towns
Topsham vs Lisbon Falls vs Brunswick vs Gray
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%).
Lisbon Falls has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Lisbon Falls | Brunswick | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
4,267Lowest |
22,336Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
41.1±4.4 8% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% 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% |
18.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 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% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±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% ME: 36.2% |
24.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$72,344±$9kLowest 3% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above 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 |
$245,700±$25kLowest 17% below ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above 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 |
$971±$450Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above 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 |
$2,947Lowest about the ME average |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
27.9%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
70.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 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 | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | — | Brunswick High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 10.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.