Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Middlesex vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most renters (15.3% rent).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
West Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Bowdoin | Middlesex | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,943Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 14% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.5±2.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Gardiner and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$96,172±$30k 19% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$305,100±$42k 8% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,087±$150Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 8% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$2,282Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Lowest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and West Gardiner 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.