Compare towns
Freeport vs North Berwick 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%).
North Berwick has the youngest population (median age 41.6).
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 | North Berwick | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802 |
5,129Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% 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% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick 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% |
20.9%±5Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and North Berwick 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 |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Freeport and North Berwick 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 |
$428,500±$33kLowest 44% 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±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Freeport and Wells 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 |
$3,735 23% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Freeport 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% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8Lowest 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | Noble High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
12.0 |
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.