Compare towns
Eliot vs Amesbury vs Nelson 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
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Eliot | Amesbury | Nelson | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
17,403Highest |
648Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% 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 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±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+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Eliot 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. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Amesbury | Nelson School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Amesbury High | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.