Signals
Sanford
Brunswick
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs74 · Top 15%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs54 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Schools
43 · Bottom 38%
vs75 · Top 20%
Access
70 · Bottom 13%
vs47 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
62 · Top 48%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Sanford | Brunswick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,247 | 17,652 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,524 | $70,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,027 | $43,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 466/sq mi | 908/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $280,200 | $363,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,152 | $1,465 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 51.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 82°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.2" | 50.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 84 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.1 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.89 | 11.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 76.8% | 82.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 76.5% | 87.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.6% | 34.1% | 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
Sanford
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Brunswick
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Sanford, ME · Brunswick, ME · How this is calculated: methodology