Compare towns

Dummer vs Eliot 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

Dummer has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Wells has the most people working from home (17.8%).

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.

MeasureDummerEliotWells
People
Population
299Lowest
7,146
11,713Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+8.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+18%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
53.6±6.4Highest
38% above U.S.
50.8±5.9Lowest
31% above U.S.
53.6±3.8Highest
38% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.4%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
Dummer and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.4%±4.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2
U.S.: 17.2%
31%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
16.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0%±5.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,250±$21k
13% above U.S.
$101,522±$10kHighest
26% above U.S.
$88,024±$11kLowest
9% above U.S.
Eliot and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$242,200±$51kLowest
27% below U.S.
$498,900±$62kHighest
50% above U.S.
$485,300±$23k
46% above U.S.
Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,350±$297Lowest
4% below U.S.
Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,898Lowest
7% below U.S.
$4,549Highest
46% above U.S.
$3,215
3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.1%±19.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
5% below U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
28 minHighest
4% above U.S.
Work from home
6.8%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
17.8%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Wells and Eliot 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 — #19 of 133 in ME #22 of 133 in ME
School district — RSU 35/MSAD 35 Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town — None 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.