Compare towns
Sanford vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
Wells has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Sanford | Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 22,247Highest |
11,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±2.8Lowest 6% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sanford and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,152±$72Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,708Highest 22% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±7.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sanford and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 14% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sanford Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Sanford High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.