Gardiner, ME vs Old Town, ME

Gardiner, ME and Old Town, ME have a very similar cost of living, with only a 2.1% difference in their overall index. Gardiner scores 80 while Old Town scores 78 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Gardiner is $927/month compared to $1,014/month in Old Town — a 9% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Gardiner has cheaper rent, Old Town actually has lower median home values ($183,200 vs $198,100).

Median household income in Gardiner is $58,152 compared to $49,329 in Old Town (+17.9%). While Gardiner is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Gardiner spend roughly 19.1% of their income on rent, less than the 24.7% in Old Town.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (46.1°F vs 43.2°F). Old Town receives more rainfall at 44.4" per year compared to 41.8" in Gardiner.