Compare towns
Salisbury vs Wells vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Wells has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 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 | Salisbury | Wells | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,200 |
11,713Highest |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wells and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,227 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Whiting 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| 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 |
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.