Compare towns
West Gardiner vs Manchester vs Bowdoin
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
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 | Manchester | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696Highest |
2,424Lowest |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Manchester and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester and West 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% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Manchester 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 |
$92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
| West Gardiner and Manchester 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 |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
— |
| West Gardiner and Manchester 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 |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Gardiner and Manchester 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 38 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.