Compare towns
Gardiner vs Lisbon Falls vs Windham
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).
Lisbon Falls has the youngest population (median age 41.1).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Lisbon Falls | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088 |
4,267Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
41.1±4.4Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Gardiner and Windham 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% |
18.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Lisbon Falls 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% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls 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% |
24.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls 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 |
$72,344±$9k 3% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$245,700±$25k 17% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$971±$450Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
| Windham and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$2,947 about the ME average |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.9%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and Windham 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% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.