Compare towns
Wells vs Ashland vs Gray vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ashland | Gray | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,183 |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Gray 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% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest 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% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 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±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Gray and Wells 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. |
$4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest 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. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Ashland School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
— |
| 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.