Compare towns
Wells vs Eliot vs Saco
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).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k 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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
7,146Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest 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%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Saco 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco 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 18% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Eliot and Saco 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 |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% 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 |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above 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 |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| 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.