Compare towns
Wells vs Peterborough vs Gray
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%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Peterborough | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
6,408Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Wells and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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% |
30.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Peterborough 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Wells 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. |
$98,401±$8kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Peterborough and Gray 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. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Peterborough 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Contoocook Valley School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Conval Regional High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.0 |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.