Compare towns
Lisbon vs Surry 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).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Surry | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
1,836Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
42±3.6 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Surry 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest 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 |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
| Lisbon and Surry 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 |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Surry and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286 14% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Highest 9% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 17% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±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 | Surry 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.