What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).

Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).

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	Carmel
People
Population	6,088Highest	2,941Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME	46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1%
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4%	16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Gardiner and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME	$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME
	Carmel 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	$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average	$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME
	Carmel and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,742Highest 10% below ME	$2,662Lowest 12% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Carmel 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%	13.6%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	87.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%	6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Gardiner and Carmel 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	#77 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	RSU 87/MSAD 23
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.