What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	Gardiner
People
Population	11,713Highest	6,088Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME	42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Wells and Gardiner 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%	19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest ME: 36.2%	29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Wells and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME	$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME
	Wells and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME	$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME	$1,113±$191Lowest about the ME average
	Wells and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Highest 6% above ME	$2,742Lowest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	44.6%±13.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Gardiner and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 12% above ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Wells and Gardiner 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	#36 of 133 in ME
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	Wells High School	Gardiner Area High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.