What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).

Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Oakland	Gardiner
People
Population	6,309Highest	6,088Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME	42±3.6Highest 6% below ME
	Gardiner and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Oakland and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4%	19.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Gardiner and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	29.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Oakland and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME	$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME
	Oakland and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
	Oakland and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$939±$74Lowest 18% below ME	$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average
	Gardiner and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,439Lowest 20% below ME	$2,742Highest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Oakland and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% above ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Gardiner and Oakland 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	#23 of 133 in ME	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 18	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	Messalonskee High School	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.