Compare towns
Topsham vs Mapleton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Mapleton | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
1,884Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
| Topsham and Mapleton 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%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.