Compare towns
Wells vs Kittery vs South Eliot vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Kittery | South Eliot | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
10,473 |
4,203 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
55.5±8 24% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Ogunquit and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and South 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% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
49.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and South 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 |
$468,500±$31kLowest 58% above ME |
$475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
— |
| South Eliot and Kittery 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 |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,442 46% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Wells 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.