Compare towns
Wells vs Belfast vs York
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%).
Belfast has the most affordable homes ($341k median).
York has the most people working from home (26%).
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 | Belfast | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
6,986Lowest |
13,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
49.5±5.2Lowest 10% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| York 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% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast 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% |
42.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and York 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 |
$67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
| York and Wells 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 |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
| York and Wells 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 |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| York and Belfast 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 71 | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Belfast Area High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
11.3 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.