What stands out worked out from the figures below

Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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	Readfield	Gardiner
People
Population	2,651Lowest	6,088Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME
	Readfield and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Readfield and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4%	19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Readfield and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Gardiner and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME	$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME
	Readfield and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average
	Readfield and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,392Highest 12% above ME	$2,742Lowest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Gardiner and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 20% above ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Readfield 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	#20 of 133 in ME	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 38	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	Maranacook Community High Sch	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	11.8Highest
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.