Compare towns
Wells vs Carmel vs Gray
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%).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Carmel | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,941Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Wells and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest 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±$11k 18% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray 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 |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Wells 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 |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Gray 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | 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 |
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.