Compare towns
Wells vs Gray vs Gorham vs Eliot
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%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Gray | Gorham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
8,429 |
18,300Highest |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
| Gorham 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 64% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% 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±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot and Gorham 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray 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 ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.5 |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.