Compare towns
Bethel vs Eliot 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
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($345k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Bethel | Eliot | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,617 |
7,146 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Lowest 12% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest 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+ | 41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37kLowest 16% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Lowest 7% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Bethel 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 | #49 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | None in town | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | — | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.