Compare towns
Wells vs Exeter vs Eliot
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%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Exeter | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
16,151Highest |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Eliot 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| 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±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.