Compare towns
Cushing vs Wells vs Thomaston
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Wells | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
11,713Highest |
2,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Wells 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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest 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±$19k 12% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Wells and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$271,700±$10kLowest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,262±$343Lowest 11% 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 | $3,944 30% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Wells 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest 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 | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 13 |
| 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 |
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.