Compare towns
Gardiner vs Ellsworth vs Dover-Foxcroft
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 people working from home (13.9%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Dover-Foxcroft has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Gardiner | Ellsworth | Dover-Foxcroft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088 |
8,657Highest |
4,506Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
38±4.1Lowest 15% below ME |
| Ellsworth 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Dover-Foxcroft 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% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest 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 | $71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$63,344±$6kLowest 15% below ME |
| Ellsworth 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±$19k 25% below ME |
$242,300±$22kHighest 18% below ME |
$162,600±$12kLowest 45% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner 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 |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$880±$97Lowest 23% below ME |
| Gardiner and Ellsworth 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 |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$1,916Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest 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 | 10.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±6 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #89 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 68/MSAD 68 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| 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.