Compare towns
North Berwick vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Berwick has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Hiram has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | North Berwick | Ogunquit | Wells | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,702 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.6% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±8.2Lowest 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest 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+ | 23.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,317±$69k 32% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Ogunquit and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,900±$86k 17% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$256,600±$42kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$247 4% below ME |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
| Wells and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,164 4% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.8%±35.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±7.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #82 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | — | Wells High School | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.