What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).

Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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.

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

Measure	Gardiner	Rye
People
Population	6,088Highest	5,611Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42±3.6Lowest 8% above U.S.	55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Rye 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 U.S.: 17.2%	31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardiner and Rye 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 11% below U.S.	$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S.	$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,113±$191Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,742Lowest 12% below U.S.	$7,519Highest 141% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.3%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardiner and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.	29 minLowest 9% above U.S.
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#36 of 133 in ME	#2 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	Rye School District
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.