Compare towns
Dunstable 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
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 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 | Dunstable | Eliot | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
7,146 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dunstable and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Lowest 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+ | 62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297 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 | $9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | 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 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.