Compare towns
Calais vs Wells vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the highest household income ($101k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k median).
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 | Calais | Wells | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wells and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marshfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Calais and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,317±$126Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Calais and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,668 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield and Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 |
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.