Compare towns
Bangor vs Ogunquit vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most affordable homes ($220k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most kids (18% under 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 | Bangor | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.