Compare towns
Eliot vs Mapleton vs Ellsworth 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 highest household income ($102k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
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 | Mapleton | Ellsworth | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,884Lowest |
8,657 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Mapleton 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 36% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Eliot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| 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 71% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Eliot 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ellsworth Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.