Compare towns
Wells vs Meredith vs Hampton Beach vs Gray
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Hampton Beach has the most renters (37.1% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | Meredith | Hampton Beach | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
6,758 |
2,605Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Hampton Beach and Gray 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. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| 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.