Compare towns
Dummer vs Gardiner vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Columbia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Dummer | Gardiner | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
6,088Highest |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
42±3.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
51.8±10.1 33% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±8.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Columbia and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$71,782±$10k 11% below U.S. |
$57,917±$13kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dummer and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$221,600±$19k 33% below U.S. |
$196,400±$29kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Dummer and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,113±$191Highest 21% below U.S. |
$792±$333Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Gardiner and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898Highest 7% below U.S. |
$2,742 12% below U.S. |
$2,009Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±13.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
9.1%±95.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardiner and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardiner and Columbia 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 |
U.S. 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.