Compare towns
Wells vs Appleton vs Gray vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Gray | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,360Lowest |
8,429 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Wells and Appleton 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Appleton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Topsham 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Topsham 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.