Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Orchard Beach has the most affordable homes ($367k median).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,244Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38kLowest 24% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Highest 13% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Old Orchard Beach 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.