Compare towns
Gardiner vs Kittery vs Mapleton
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1944).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Kittery | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088 |
10,473Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery 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% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Kittery 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 |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Kittery and Mapleton 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 |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742 10% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.