Compare towns
Lisbon vs Freeport 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).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
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 | Freeport | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
8,802 |
6,088Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Lisbon 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Freeport High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
12.2 |
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.