Compare towns
Gardiner vs Mapleton vs Surry vs Oakland
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% 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 | Mapleton | Surry | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,088 |
1,884 |
1,836Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Mapleton 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Oakland 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Mapleton and Oakland 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
| Gardiner and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742Highest 10% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$2,439 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Oakland 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 minLowest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Surry 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 | — | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | None in town | None in town | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | — | 14.2Highest |
| 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.