Compare towns
Wells vs Auburn vs Kennebunk 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
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Auburn has the highest household income ($153k).
Kennebunk has the most renters (19.4% rent).
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 | Auburn | Kennebunk | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
6,119 |
11,820Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Auburn and Wells 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% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn 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. |
$153,253±$6kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29k 80% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
— |
| Auburn and Kennebunk 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. |
$8,092Highest 159% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Kennebunk 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% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer 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. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Auburn School District | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.