Compare towns
Wells vs Epping vs Meredith
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Epping has the highest household income ($104k).
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
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 | Epping | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
7,430 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Wells 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% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping 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 9% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Epping 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±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Wells and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Epping 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Meredith 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Meredith 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Epping School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Epping High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.