Compare towns
Brooks vs Wells vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Jackson has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
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 | Brooks | Wells | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
11,713Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Wells and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Wells and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Wells and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Jackson 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | 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.