Compare towns
Wells vs Needham 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%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Needham | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
32,459Highest |
8,429Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Needham | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Needham High | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.9 |
12.5Highest |
| 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.