Compare towns
Sidney vs Wells vs Winthrop
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Sidney | Wells | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
11,713Highest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Wells and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| 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.