Compare towns
Wells vs Lyme vs Eliot vs Ogunquit
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 affordable homes ($485k median).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% 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 | Lyme | Eliot | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,710 |
7,146 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Wells 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% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest 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% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— |
| Eliot and Lyme 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lyme 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lyme 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 | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — | — |
| 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.