Compare towns
Wells vs Canton vs Ogunquit vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the highest household income ($143k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Canton | Ogunquit | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
24,748Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham 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 9% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Canton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
— | $1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,560Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #81 of 282 in MA | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Canton High | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.