Compare towns
Wells vs Bristol vs Eliot
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%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% rent).
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 | Bristol | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,917Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Eliot 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 18% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot and Bristol 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 |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Wells 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.