Compare towns
Lisbon vs Kennebunk 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).
Kennebunk has the most expensive homes ($488k 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 | Kennebunk | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750 |
11,820Highest |
6,088Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest 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±$9k 4% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Kennebunk 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Highest 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 21 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Kennebunk High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
11.6Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.