Compare towns
Cushing vs Owls Head vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the youngest population (median age 48.8).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Cushing | Owls Head | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
1,482 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
52.6±6.6 17% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Wells and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Owls Head and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.4% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kLowest 38% above ME |
$413,300±$43k 39% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,191±$386Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Cushing and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,981Lowest about the ME average |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 13 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.