Compare towns
Topsham vs Lisbon 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).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
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 | Lisbon | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Lowest |
9,750 |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
| Topsham and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
| Topsham and Lisbon 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 |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% 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 |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 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 |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Lisbon 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Lisbon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Lisbon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
15.8Highest |
— |
| 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.