Compare towns
Gardiner vs Ogunquit vs Bucksport
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 affordable homes ($222k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bucksport has the most kids (17.9% 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 | Ogunquit | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088Highest |
1,379Lowest |
5,016 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.7±12.2 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Bucksport 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% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$252,300±$32k 15% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
— | $882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
| Gardiner and Bucksport 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,021Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 133 in ME | — | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | — | Bucksport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.