Compare towns
North Berwick vs Winthrop vs Arundel vs Wells
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 highest household income ($102k).
Winthrop has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
Arundel has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | North Berwick | Winthrop | Arundel | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,129 |
6,191 |
4,418Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.7 7% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
29.4% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 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 | $101,875±$16kHighest 36% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| North Berwick and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$421,300±$62k 42% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$116 about the ME average |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Arundel and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,735 23% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
$3,763Highest 24% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Wells 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME | #7 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Winthrop Public Schools | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Noble High School | Winthrop High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.7 |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.