Compare towns
Mendon vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 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 | Mendon | Ogunquit | Wells | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
1,379 |
11,713Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest 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+ | 49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Wells and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 71% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Mendon 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 | — | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.