Signals
Brunswick
South Portland
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs77 · Top 11%
Climate
54 · Bottom 2%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 6%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Schools
75 · Top 20%
vs86 · Top 6%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs53 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Brunswick | South Portland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,652 | 26,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,722 | $86,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,256 | $50,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 908/sq mi | 2,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $363,200 | $441,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,465 | $1,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.3% | 58.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.3% | 51.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 6.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 79°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.0" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 75 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.22 | 10.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 82.8% | 87.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 87.8% | 88.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.1% | 31.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Brunswick
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
South Portland
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Brunswick
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
South Portland
68
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Brunswick, ME · South Portland, ME · How this is calculated: methodology