Compare towns
Eliot vs New Gloucester 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).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Eliot | New Gloucester | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
5,766Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% 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% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest 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% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and New Gloucester 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 |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| New Gloucester 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±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above 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 |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | 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 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.