Compare towns
Lisbon vs Brunswick 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).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Brunswick | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750 |
17,652Highest |
6,088Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
| Gardiner and Lisbon 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% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest 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% |
23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% 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±$26k 13% below ME |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Brunswick 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | — | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 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.