Compare towns
Eliot vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Salisbury | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
9,281 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Salisbury 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% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest 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% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury 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. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Salisbury 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. |
$478,700±$27kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% 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. |
$1,691±$411 20% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Salisbury 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. |
$4,604Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Triton | 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 |
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.