Compare towns
Bucksport vs Mapleton vs Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bucksport has the most expensive homes ($252k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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.
| Measure | Bucksport | Mapleton | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,016 |
1,884Lowest |
6,088Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.2Highest 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
42±3.6 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%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bucksport 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Gardiner 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Mapleton and Gardiner 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 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±$92 23% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% 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 | $2,021 33% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,742Highest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Mapleton 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Bucksport High School | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.