Compare towns
Rangeley vs Wells vs Eagle Lake
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rangeley has the most renters (27.4% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Eagle Lake has the most affordable homes ($221k 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 | Rangeley | Wells | Eagle Lake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 792 |
11,713Highest |
570Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 64.3±3.2Highest 44% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
60.8±4.7 36% above ME |
| Rangeley and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 3.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.6%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 49.1%±10.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.5%±7.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Rangeley and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,243±$23kLowest 22% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$60,208±$6k 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,700±$47k 43% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$221,200±$22kLowest 25% below ME |
| Wells and Rangeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $671±$119 41% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$508±$183Lowest 55% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,482 18% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$1,861Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.6%±31.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±33.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rangeley and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
11.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 65% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±14.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Eagle Lake 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | — |
| 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.