Compare towns
Wells vs Ogunquit vs Eliot vs Kennebunk
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 most kids (18% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
1,379Lowest |
7,146 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells 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 ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
— | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | — | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.