Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Wells vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Wells | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
11,713Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Wells and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,518Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellows Falls and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Wells 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.