Compare towns
Wells vs Carmel 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
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Ogunquit | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,941 |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest 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% |
17.2%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% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray 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 |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest 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 |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest 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 | #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 | 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.