Compare towns
Danforth vs Gardiner vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Danforth | Gardiner | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
6,088Highest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest 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 | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above 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 | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$221,600±$19kHighest 25% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $2,742Highest 10% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 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 | — | #36 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | Gardiner Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.