Compare towns
Lisbon Falls vs Gardiner vs Bucksport
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 most kids (18.9% under 18).
Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Bucksport has the most homeowners (74.3%).
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 | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,267Lowest |
6,088Highest |
5,016 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.4Lowest 8% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
42.7±12.2Highest 5% below ME |
| Bucksport and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon Falls and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Gardiner 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Lowest 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±$9kHighest 3% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
| Lisbon Falls and Gardiner 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 |
$252,300±$32kHighest 15% below ME |
| Bucksport and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $971±$450 15% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,947Highest about the ME average |
$2,742 10% below ME |
$2,021Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport and Gardiner 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.1% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Bucksport 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 | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | — | Gardiner Area High School | Bucksport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.