Compare towns
Dorchester vs Ogunquit vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Wells has the most kids (18% 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 | Dorchester | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
1,379 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 44% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779 21% above U.S. |
$4,473Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.