What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).

Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).

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	Wells	Amesbury
People
Population	11,713Lowest	17,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells and Amesbury 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	#151 of 282 in MA
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Amesbury
High school in town	Wells High School	Amesbury High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.9Lowest
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.