Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Canton vs Needham vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Wells has the most affordable 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 | Ogunquit | Canton | Needham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
24,748 |
32,459Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 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+ | 63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #81 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Canton High | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.