Compare towns
Kittery vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Kittery | Ogunquit | Wells | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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+ | 46% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
— | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Kittery and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Wells High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.