Compare towns
Canton vs Wells vs Bradley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Bradley has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Canton | Wells | Bradley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
42.6±9.7 5% below ME |
| Wells and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.9%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$76,667±$28k about the ME average |
| Wells and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$201,800±$37k 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,088±$325 4% below ME |
| Wells and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277 25% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$1,946Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±22.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Canton 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 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| 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.