Compare towns
Gray vs Needham vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Gray | Needham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
32,459Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Needham | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Needham High | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.9 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.