Compare towns
Jackson vs Monroe vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($485k 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 | Jackson | Monroe | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,001 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Wells and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1989Lowest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Jackson 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.