Compare towns
Gardiner vs Mapleton vs West Bath
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).
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088Highest |
1,884 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Gardiner and West Bath 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,516Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Bath 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | None in town | 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.