Compare towns
Cornish vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 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 | Ogunquit | Wells | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.