Compare towns
Wells vs Amherst 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Amherst | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
11,861Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst 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% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Amherst 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. |
$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Amherst and Gray 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. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #20 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.4Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.