Compare towns
Wells vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Wells and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton 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 18% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215 6% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 12% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Gray 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 | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.