Compare towns
Carroll vs Wells vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carroll has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Wells has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Lyman has the most renters (10.7% rent).
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 | Carroll | Wells | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 659 |
11,713Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.4±4.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
60.8±6.5 56% above U.S. |
| Carroll and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Carroll and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$26kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$71,042±$17k 12% below U.S. |
| Wells and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,500±$42kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$311,100±$66k 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$241Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,147±$81 19% below U.S. |
| Wells and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,356 8% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,981Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyman and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.6%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school 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.