Compare towns
Gardiner vs Upton vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Oakland has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Upton | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,088Lowest |
8,189Highest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 8% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.2±6.9Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Oakland and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakland 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±$10kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$77,813±$16k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$236,000±$23k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest 21% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$939±$74Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Gardiner and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742 12% below U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,439Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±14.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oakland and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | Blackstone Valley | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
11.2Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.