Compare towns
Boothbay vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs West Bath
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).
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 | Boothbay | Ogunquit | Wells | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,102 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9 27% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and West Bath 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Ogunquit and West Bath 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$121 about the ME average |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
| Wells and Boothbay 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.