Compare towns
Fairlee vs Wells vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Fairlee | Wells | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Wells and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Wells and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.