What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Old Town has the most people working from home (21.4%).

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	Old Town
People
Population	6,088Lowest	7,470Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	-5.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Highest 6% below ME	37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME
	Gardiner and Old Town 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%	21.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1%
	Old Town 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%	16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Gardiner and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	36.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME	$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$221,600±$19kHighest 25% below ME	$208,100±$26kLowest 30% below ME
	Gardiner and Old Town 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	$989±$100Lowest 13% below ME
	Gardiner and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,742Lowest 10% below ME	$3,153Highest 4% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	50.3%±15Highest ME: 48.4%
	Old Town and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	21.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1963Highest 14 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	20 minLowest 18% below ME
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9%
	Old Town 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	#56 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	RSU 34
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	Old Town High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	12.8Highest
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.