What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	Brunswick
People
Population	11,713Lowest	22,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest ME: +2.6%	+7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%	17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Wells and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%	22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	53.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME	$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average
	Wells and Brunswick 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	$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME	$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME
	Brunswick 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	$4,756Highest 57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 12% above ME	23 minLowest 5% below ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Brunswick 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	#30 of 133 in ME
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10
High school in town	Wells High School	Brunswick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.