Compare towns
Eliot vs Bellows Falls vs Wells vs Kittery
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 highest household income ($102k).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Wells | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
2,891Lowest |
11,713Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% 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%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Wells 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% |
23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 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% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% 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. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,448 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.