What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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	Readfield
People
Population	6,088Highest	2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	0%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME
	Readfield and Gardiner 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%	18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Readfield 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%	22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Readfield and Gardiner 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%	48.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Readfield 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	$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME
	Readfield 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	$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average	$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average
	Readfield and Gardiner 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	$3,392Highest 12% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4%	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Gardiner and Readfield 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%	5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	30 minLowest 20% above ME
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Readfield 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	#20 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	RSU 38
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	Maranacook Community High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	11.5Lowest
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.