Compare towns

Gardiner vs Bath vs Pittston

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).

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.

MeasureGardinerBathPittston
People
Population
6,088
8,815Highest
3,093Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+3%
ME: +2.6%
+7.8%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
42±3.6
6% below ME
45.4±3Highest
about the ME average
41.4±5.9Lowest
8% below ME
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%±3.6
ME: 18.1%
15.5%±3.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
17.2%±7.4Highest
ME: 18.1%
Pittston and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.7%±3.5
ME: 22.4%
25.2%±4.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
18.5%±6.1Lowest
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%
ME: 36.2%
42.5%Highest
ME: 36.2%
26.7%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.8Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.5%±2Highest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±4.1
ME: 5.8%
Bath and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$71,782±$10k
4% below ME
$69,390±$12kLowest
7% below ME
$86,614±$18kHighest
16% above ME
Pittston and Gardiner 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
$238,700±$66k
20% below ME
Bath and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,113±$191Highest
about the ME average
$1,044±$116Lowest
8% below ME
$1,080±$593
5% below ME
Gardiner and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,742
10% below ME
$3,847Highest
27% above ME
$1,909Lowest
37% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.6%±13.7Lowest
ME: 48.4%
51.3%±15.2
ME: 48.4%
57.6%±34.6Highest
ME: 48.4%
Pittston and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10.5%
ME: 10.7%
12.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
10.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
68.2%
ME: 74.3%
64.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
81%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1944
33 yrs older than ME
1938Lowest
39 yrs older than ME
1983Highest
6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
22% above ME
24 minLowest
about the ME average
26 min
7% above ME
Work from home
13.9%±4.1
ME: 15.9%
19.3%±6Highest
ME: 15.9%
3.8%±3.8Lowest
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 #123 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 11/MSAD 11 RSU 01 - LKRSU RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town Gardiner Area High School Morse High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.8Lowest
14.8Highest
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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.