Compare towns
Wells vs Exeter vs Ogunquit 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 the most kids (18% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
16,151Highest |
1,379Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 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%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%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% |
4.2%±2.8 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Exeter 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.