Compare towns
Wells vs Buxton
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%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
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 | Buxton |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
8,512Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
45.5±3.9Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Buxton 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% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Buxton 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 |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
| Buxton 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 |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
| Buxton 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 |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Buxton 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% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 12% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.