What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).

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	Strong
People
Population	6,088Highest	1,249Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME	47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME
	Strong 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%	19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Strong 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%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Strong 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,782±$10kHighest 4% below ME	$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$221,600±$19kHighest 25% below ME	$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME
	Gardiner and Strong 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	$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME
	Gardiner and Strong 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	$1,950Lowest 36% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4%	20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Gardiner and Strong 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%	13.9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 22% above ME	31 minHighest 26% above ME
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Strong 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	—
School district	RSU 11/MSAD 11	RSU 58/MSAD 58
High school in town	Gardiner Area High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.