Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Ogunquit vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
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 | Bridgewater | Fairlee | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
1,379 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Wells and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 10% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | 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 | 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.