Compare towns
Durham vs Sidney vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
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 | Durham | Sidney | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
4,790 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Durham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 18 | 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 |
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.