Compare towns
Lisbon Falls vs Oakland 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 most expensive homes ($246k median).
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Lisbon Falls | Oakland | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,267Lowest |
6,309Highest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.4 8% below ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
| Gardiner and Lisbon Falls 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% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland 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% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gardiner and Oakland 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% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 | $72,344±$9k 3% below ME |
$77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
| Oakland 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±$25kHighest 17% below ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Lisbon Falls and Oakland 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 |
$939±$74Lowest 18% 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 | $2,947Highest about the ME average |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±18Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.1% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
27 minLowest 8% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Oakland 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 | — | #23 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | — | Messalonskee High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.2Highest |
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.