Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Readfield vs Gardiner
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%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Readfield | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
2,651Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Readfield and Ellsworth 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% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 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±$18k 4% above ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
| Readfield and Ellsworth 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Readfield and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.5Lowest |
11.8 |
| 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.