Compare towns
Wells vs Northbridge vs York
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%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
York has the most people working from home (26%).
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 | Northbridge | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Lowest |
16,458Highest |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2 27% above U.S. |
| Wells and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and York 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% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Northbridge 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 9% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| York and Northbridge 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. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,490±$336Highest 5% above U.S. |
| York 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. |
$4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,658 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| York and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #226 of 282 in MA | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Northbridge | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Northbridge High | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.8 |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.