Compare towns
Bremen vs Bristol vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Bremen | Bristol | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 917Lowest |
2,917 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2Lowest 16% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9 ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.7% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21k 34% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Bristol and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28k 43% above ME |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829 7% below ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Bremen 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 | — | #16 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bristol Public Schools | 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 History | 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.