What stands out worked out from the figures below

Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).

Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).

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	Carmel	Gardiner
People
Population	2,941Lowest	6,088Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%	19.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Gardiner and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	29.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME	$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,662Lowest 12% below ME	$2,742Highest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	10.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Gardiner and Carmel 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	#77 of 133 in ME	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 87/MSAD 23	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	None in town	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.