What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).

Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Middlebury
People
Population	11,713Highest	9,175Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Wells and Middlebury 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.	$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S.
	Wells and Middlebury 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.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlebury 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%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Wells 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	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	Wells High School	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.