Compare towns
Holderness vs Wells vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the highest household income ($108k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
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 | Holderness | Wells | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
11,713Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
| Wells and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Holderness and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923 26% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Ashland 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 | Holderness School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.