What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	Manchester
People
Population	11,713Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18%±3.4 U.S.: 22%	18%±1 U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Manchester and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
	Wells and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S.	$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.	$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S.
	Manchester and Wells 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.	$5,922Highest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells and Manchester 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	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Wells High School	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.