Compare towns
China vs West Gardiner vs Palermo
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 kids (20.4% under 18).
West Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | China | West Gardiner | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Highest |
3,696 |
1,473Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Palermo 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%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| China and West Gardiner 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%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% ME: 36.2% |
32.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
$89,095±$15kLowest 19% above ME |
| China and West Gardiner 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±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
| Palermo and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and West Gardiner 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 12 |
| 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.