Compare towns
Lisbon vs Appleton 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 has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
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 | Appleton | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
1,360Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Lisbon and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kHighest 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Lisbon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 17% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.