Compare towns
Eliot vs Wells vs Naples vs Orrington
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 most renters (20.2% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Orrington has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
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 | Wells | Naples | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
11,713Highest |
3,985 |
3,853Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
49.5±3.3Lowest 10% 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%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Orrington 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1 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% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Orrington 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 |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$78,188±$13kLowest 5% above ME |
$94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
| Eliot and Orrington 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 |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
$309,000±$49kLowest 4% 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 |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,941±$625 70% above ME |
$1,167±$135Lowest about the ME average |
| Eliot and Naples 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$2,823 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Lake Region High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.