Compare towns
China vs West Gardiner vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
West Gardiner has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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.
| Measure | China | West Gardiner | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Highest |
3,696Lowest |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| China and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| China 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+ | 31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12k 29% above ME |
$96,172±$30kLowest 29% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Durham and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kLowest 19% below ME |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Durham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,087±$150 5% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535 17% below ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #90 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.