Compare towns
Boothbay vs Eliot vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Boothbay | Eliot | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,102Lowest |
7,146 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Boothbay and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 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+ | 35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$121Lowest about the ME average |
$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 | $2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest 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 | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest 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 | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.