What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bucksport has the most expensive homes ($252k median).

Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bucksport	Gardiner
People
Population	5,016Lowest	6,088Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.7±12.2Highest 5% below ME	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME
	Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4%	19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	29.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME	$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME
	Gardiner and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$252,300±$32kHighest 15% below ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
	Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$882±$92Lowest 23% below ME	$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average
	Gardiner and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,021Lowest 33% below ME	$2,742Highest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.3%Highest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 15% above ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	10.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Gardiner and Bucksport 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	#68 of 133 in ME	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 25	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	Bucksport High School	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.