Compare towns
Hadley vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Amherst Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
Amherst Town has the youngest population (median age 21.4).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% 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 | Hadley | Ogunquit | Wells | Amherst Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
38,182Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
21.4±0.2Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
7.5%±1.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
59.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$66,968±$7kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Hadley and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$484,900±$21kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,671±$93Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 69% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,787Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amherst Town and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #116 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #58 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | — | Wells High School | Amherst Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.