What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	Peabody
People
Population	11,713Lowest	54,695Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	45.3±2.4Lowest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Peabody and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	24.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells and Peabody 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.	$96,657±$4kHighest 20% above U.S.
	Peabody and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.	$596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.	$1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.	$5,065Highest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Peabody and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 133 in ME	#228 of 282 in MA
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Peabody
High school in town	Wells High School	Peabody Veterans Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.