Compare towns
West Gardiner vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Sidney
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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bowdoin has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,696 |
1,884Lowest |
3,188 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Bowdoin 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%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,100±$42k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,087±$150 5% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,282 25% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.