Compare towns
Wells vs Eliot vs Bath
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%).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k 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 | Eliot | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
7,146Lowest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath 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 |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Eliot 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±$23k 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Wells 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.