Compare towns
Wells vs Hampton Beach 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%).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Hampton Beach | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,605Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach 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% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Eliot 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. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot 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. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton Beach 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. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 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 4% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.