Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Unity vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
West Gardiner has the highest household income ($96k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,858Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Gardiner and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| 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±$71k about the ME average |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.