Compare towns
Wells vs Middlebury vs Eliot
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%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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.
| Measure | Wells | Middlebury | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
9,175 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$409,700±$30kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Middlebury 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% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.