Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Putney 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 affordable homes ($293k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Putney | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
2,622Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.5±2.8 12% above U.S. |
| Bowdoin and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bowdoin and West Gardiner 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% |
18.1%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putney 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% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±5.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$96,172±$30kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| West Gardiner and Bowdoin 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. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$305,100±$42kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| West Gardiner and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,087±$150Highest 23% below U.S. |
| West Gardiner and Putney 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. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,282Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Gardiner and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 | 6 photos → | 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.