Compare towns
Appleton vs Eliot vs Wells vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Newburgh has the youngest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Appleton | Eliot | Wells | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
7,146 |
11,713Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | 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 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.