Compare towns
Freeport vs Arundel vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Arundel has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Freeport | Arundel | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802 |
4,418Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Wells and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Arundel and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Freeport and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$421,300±$62kLowest 42% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Freeport and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
| Arundel and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,763 24% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #7 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.