What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardiner	Oakland
People
Population	6,088Lowest	6,309Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Highest 6% below ME	40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME
	Gardiner and Oakland 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%	23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Oakland and Gardiner 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%	18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Gardiner and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Oakland 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±$10kLowest 4% below ME	$77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME
	Oakland 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±$19kLowest 25% below ME	$236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME
	Oakland and Gardiner 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	$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME
	Gardiner and Oakland 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	$2,439Lowest 20% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Oakland and Gardiner 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%	8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	77.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	27 minLowest 8% above ME
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%	8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Gardiner and Oakland 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 18
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	Messalonskee High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	14.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.