What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rochester	Wells
People
Population	33,144Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43±1.8Lowest 11% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Rochester and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average	$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S.
	Wells and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S.	$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,369±$72Highest 3% below U.S.	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
	Rochester and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,334Highest 71% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.3%±7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Rochester and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 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	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells and Rochester 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	#98 of 120 in NH	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Rochester School District	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Spaulding High School	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.2Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.