Compare towns
Wells vs Otisfield vs Kennebunk vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Otisfield has the most affordable homes ($317k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Otisfield | Kennebunk | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,951Lowest |
6,221 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
56.8±4.8Highest 27% above ME |
54.3±7.2 21% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
| Otisfield and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
23.7%±1.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
31%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$84,271±$15kLowest 13% above ME |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot 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±$23k 64% above ME |
$317,200±$35kLowest 7% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| 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 19% above ME |
$1,300±$872Lowest 14% above ME |
$1,466±$261 29% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% 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 | $3,215 6% above ME |
$2,652Lowest 13% below ME |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
77.3%±92.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Otisfield and Eliot 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% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — | — |
| 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.