Compare towns
West Bath vs Gray vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | West Bath | Gray | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
8,429 |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
| West Bath and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
| West Bath and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% 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 | $3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and West Bath 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.