Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gardiner vs Lisbon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Lisbon Falls has the most homeowners (70.1%).
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 | Ellsworth | Gardiner | Lisbon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
6,088 |
4,267Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
41.1±4.4Lowest 8% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon Falls and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
24.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$72,344±$9k 3% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$245,700±$25kHighest 17% below ME |
| Lisbon Falls and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$971±$450Lowest 15% below ME |
| Gardiner and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$2,947 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
27.9%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
70.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Ellsworth 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gardiner Area High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.