Compare towns
Wells vs Dover vs Saco vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Dover | Saco | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
33,364Highest |
20,819 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Dover 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest 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% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Dover 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. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
— |
| Dover 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Dover School District | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— | — |
| 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.