Compare towns
Wells vs Appleton vs Chapman vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Appleton | Chapman | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,360 |
388Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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±$11k 18% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215 6% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Eliot 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 | — | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.