What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Dover-Foxcroft has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

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	Dover-Foxcroft
People
Population	6,088Highest	4,506Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Highest 6% below ME	38±4.1Lowest 15% below ME
	Gardiner and Dover-Foxcroft 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%	21.2%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Dover-Foxcroft and Gardiner 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%	21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Dover-Foxcroft 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	28.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	2.9%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Dover-Foxcroft 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	$63,344±$6kLowest 15% below ME
	Gardiner and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$221,600±$19kHighest 25% below ME	$162,600±$12kLowest 45% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average	$880±$97Lowest 23% below ME
	Gardiner and Dover-Foxcroft 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	$1,916Lowest 37% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4%	37.3%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Gardiner and Dover-Foxcroft 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%	15.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	67%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	15 minLowest 40% below ME
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%	12.6%±6Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Gardiner and Dover-Foxcroft 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	#89 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	RSU 68/MSAD 68
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
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.