Compare towns
Wells vs Bristol vs Gray
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%).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,917Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Bristol 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±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% 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 |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Bristol Public Schools | 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 |
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.