Compare towns
Wells vs Buxton vs Ogunquit vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
8,512 |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest 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 |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Buxton 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 |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
— | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Buxton and Gray 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 |
$3,422 13% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | 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 History | None yet | 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.