Compare towns
Danforth vs Gardiner vs Monticello
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%).
Monticello has the most homeowners (88.2%).
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 | Monticello |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
6,088Highest |
674 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
52.7±6Highest 18% above ME |
| Monticello and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gardiner and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.2%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monticello and Danforth 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gardiner and Monticello 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±$10kHighest 4% below ME |
$51,875±$13k 31% below ME |
| Gardiner and Monticello 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 |
$125,800±$36k 58% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$833±$434 27% below ME |
| Gardiner and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $2,742Highest 10% below ME |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Monticello 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Gardiner Area High School | — |
| 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.