What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k 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	West Bath
People
Population	6,088Highest	1,863Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME	54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME
Kids under 18	16.6%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1%	14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Gardiner and West Bath 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%	29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	50.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	West Bath 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 4% below ME	$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME
	West Bath 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	$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average	$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average
	Gardiner and West Bath 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	$3,516Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4%	41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Gardiner and West Bath 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%	3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	82.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 22% above ME	21 minLowest 16% below ME
Work from home	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	17.1%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	West Bath 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	West Bath Public Schools
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

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.