Compare towns
Wells vs Amesbury vs Ogunquit vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
17,403Highest |
1,379Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest 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% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ogunquit 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±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Amesbury 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±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
— | $1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Amesbury 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and South Berwick 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Amesbury | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Amesbury High | — | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.9Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.