Compare towns
Pittston vs Unity 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 highest household income ($87k).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,093 |
1,858Lowest |
6,088Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42±3.6Highest 6% below ME |
| Gardiner and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±7.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Pittston and Gardiner 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Pittston and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Pittston and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,742Highest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
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.