Compare towns
Orange vs Bath 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
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Orange | Bath | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
8,815Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
| Orange and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 14% above U.S. |
$3,847Highest 23% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Orange 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.