Compare towns
Acton vs Lyman vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most affordable homes ($334k median).
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Acton | Lyman | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,721Lowest |
4,612 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Lowest 18% above ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Lyman and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest 5% above ME |
$87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,063±$522Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 12% below ME |
$2,717 11% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
95% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 64% above ME |
33 min 35% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman and Acton 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 | #43 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.