Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Wells vs Owls Head
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Phippsburg | Wells | Owls Head |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,238 |
11,713Highest |
1,482Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
52.6±6.6Lowest 17% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$87,325±$7kLowest 17% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47kLowest 13% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$413,300±$43k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,191±$386 5% above ME |
| Wells and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$2,981 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Owls Head 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.