Compare towns
Lisbon Falls vs Gardiner vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon Falls has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Lisbon Falls | Gardiner | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,267 |
6,088Highest |
3,188Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.4Lowest 8% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$9k 3% below ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,700±$25k 17% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $971±$450Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,947 about the ME average |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±18 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.1% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 20% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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 | 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.