Compare towns
Standish vs Wells vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Standish | Wells | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662 |
11,713Highest |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
| Wells and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Standish and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.