Compare towns
West Gardiner vs Appleton vs Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Gardiner has the highest household income ($96k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | West Gardiner | Appleton | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696 |
1,360Lowest |
6,088Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Appleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| West Gardiner and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Gardiner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and West 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 | #90 of 133 in ME | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school 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 |
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.