Compare towns
Andover vs Gray vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the oldest housing (typical home built 1978).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Andover | Gray | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,135Lowest |
8,429 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±11.6 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.1%±7.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,514±$27k 10% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,500±$44k 10% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,211±$190Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,962Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Andover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.