Compare towns
Gardiner vs Lisbon vs Ogunquit vs Unity
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 renters (31.8% rent).
Lisbon has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Ogunquit | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,088 |
9,750Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon 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% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Lisbon 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 |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$979±$286 14% below ME |
— | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Gardiner and Lisbon 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 |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity 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% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Lisbon Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | Lisbon High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
15.8Highest |
— | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.