Compare towns
Pittston vs Berwick vs Mapleton vs Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($369k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
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 | Pittston | Berwick | Mapleton | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,093 |
8,175Highest |
1,884Lowest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
| Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gardiner and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Berwick and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,909 37% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #123 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.