Compare towns
West Gardiner vs Sidney vs China
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
China has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | Sidney | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696Lowest |
4,790Highest |
4,526 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and China 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| China and Sidney 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% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
| China and West Gardiner 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$240,000±$37kLowest 19% below 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±$150Lowest 5% 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 | $2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6Lowest 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #27 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 18 | RSU 18 |
| 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.