Compare towns
Sidney vs Winthrop vs Hollis vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the youngest population (median age 43).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Hollis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
West Gardiner has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Sidney | Winthrop | Hollis | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790 |
6,191Highest |
4,872 |
3,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
43.8±4.2Highest about the ME average |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
| Hollis and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$95,950±$24k 28% above ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| West Gardiner and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$338,900±$27kHighest 14% above ME |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
$1,087±$150 5% below ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
$2,625 14% below ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2 ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Hollis 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Winthrop Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Winthrop High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.