Compare towns
Cornish vs North Berwick vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
North Berwick has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Cornish | North Berwick | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803Lowest |
5,129 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
41.6±4.7 7% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
$101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| North Berwick and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84kLowest 8% below ME |
$428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$3,735Highest 23% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and North Berwick 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 | — | #82 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Noble High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.