Compare towns
Freedom vs Unity vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Freedom | Unity | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 670Lowest |
1,858 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Unity 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.