Compare towns
Wells vs Hanover 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).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Ogunquit | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
11,685 |
1,379Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below 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% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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% |
19.7%±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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Ogunquit 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. |
$824,900±$61k 148% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Hanover 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. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
— | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
5.6% 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% |
73.7%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. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 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. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Hanover High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.