Compare towns
Wells vs Bangor vs Ogunquit vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Bangor | Ogunquit | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
31,938Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| 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 64% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray 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 |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Bangor 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% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Bangor High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.3Highest |
— | 12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.