Compare towns
Cumberland vs New Gloucester vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Cumberland | New Gloucester | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,647 |
5,766Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±4 6% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cumberland and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Cumberland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Cumberland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland and Wells 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Greely High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.