Compare towns
Wells vs Bristol vs Vinalhaven
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%).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 | Vinalhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,917 |
1,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
61±3.2 36% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Bristol 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 ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Vinalhaven 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 |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
| Bristol 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±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
| Wells and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
| Wells and Bristol 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 |
$3,598Highest 19% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Wells 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1968 9 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Vinalhaven 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 | — |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Bristol Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | 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.