Compare towns
Westbrook vs Brewer vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Brunswick has the most homeowners (71.2%).
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 | Westbrook | Brewer | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775 |
9,652Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
40.1±4.8Highest 10% below ME |
40±2.8 11% below ME |
| Brewer and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
| Westbrook and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
| Westbrook and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005 32% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | Brewer High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
14.0Highest |
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.