Compare towns
Eliot vs Freeport vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Freeport has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Eliot | Freeport | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,802 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport 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 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport 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±$10k 36% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Freeport 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 68% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
| Freeport 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 71% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
| Eliot and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 50% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 05 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.