Compare towns
Wells vs Chester vs Ogunquit vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Chester | Ogunquit | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
5,300 |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Chester and Gray 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% |
17.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Chester 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. |
$552,300±$42k 66% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | — | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
19%±72.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #90 of 120 in NH | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Chester School District | — | 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 Our Story | 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.