Compare towns
Wells vs Amesbury vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Wells | Amesbury | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
17,403Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Wells 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. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% 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. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% 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% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Amesbury | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Amesbury High | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.