Compare towns
Lisbon vs Gardiner vs Topsham
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).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Topsham has the most expensive homes ($361k 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 | Gardiner | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
6,088Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Lisbon 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 |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Gardiner 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 |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gardiner and Lisbon 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% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Gardiner Area High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
11.8Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.