Compare towns
Gardiner vs Mapleton vs Danforth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
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 | Mapleton | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088Highest |
1,884 |
666Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$19kHighest 25% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
| Gardiner and Mapleton 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$629±$29 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742Highest 10% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and Danforth 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | — |
| 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.