Compare towns
Wells vs New Gloucester vs Cumberland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
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 | New Gloucester | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
5,766Lowest |
8,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
41.9±4 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cumberland and New Gloucester 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
| Cumberland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$7,116Highest 134% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.1%±31.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cumberland and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.