Compare towns

Lisbon Falls vs Gray vs Gardiner

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 youngest population (median age 41.1).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).

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.

MeasureLisbon FallsGrayGardiner
People
Population
4,267Lowest
8,429Highest
6,088
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+6.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+2.8%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.1±4.4Lowest
8% below ME
43.4±4.5Highest
3% below ME
42±3.6
6% below ME
Gray 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%
19%±4Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.6%±3.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Gray and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.2%±4.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
19.3%±4
ME: 22.4%
19.7%±3.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
Gardiner and Gray 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%
44.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
29.8%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±2.6Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±2.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
4.1%±1.8
ME: 5.8%
Gray and Gardiner 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
$95,236±$8kHighest
27% above ME
$71,782±$10kLowest
4% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$245,700±$25k
17% below ME
$363,700±$20kHighest
23% above ME
$221,600±$19kLowest
25% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$971±$450Lowest
15% below ME
$1,371±$89Highest
20% above ME
$1,113±$191
about the ME average
Gray and Gardiner 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
$3,683Highest
21% above ME
$2,742Lowest
10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
27.9%±18Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
44.6%±13.7
ME: 48.4%
Gray and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.9%
ME: 10.7%
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
10.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
70.1%
ME: 74.3%
82.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
68.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967
10 yrs older than ME
1983Highest
6 yrs newer than ME
1944Lowest
33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
20% above ME
29 minLowest
16% above ME
30 minHighest
22% above ME
Work from home
6.6%±2.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
13.9%±4.1Highest
ME: 15.9%
Gardiner and Gray 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 — #10 of 133 in ME #36 of 133 in ME
School district — RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town — Gray-New Gloucester High School Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.5Highest
11.8Lowest
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.