What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).

Bath has the most expensive homes ($311k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardiner	Bath
People
Population	6,088Lowest	8,815Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME	45.4±3Highest about the ME average
	Bath and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.6%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1%	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Gardiner and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Bath and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	42.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Bath and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME	$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME
	Gardiner and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME	$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average	$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME
	Gardiner and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,742Lowest 10% below ME	$3,847Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4%
	Bath and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	12.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Highest 33 yrs older than ME	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	24 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Bath 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	#36 of 133 in ME	#31 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	RSU 01 - LKRSU
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	Morse High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.