Compare towns
Wells vs Ripton vs Gray vs Kennebunk
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 the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Ripton | Gray | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
508Lowest |
8,429 |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Kennebunk 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% |
30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$95,169±$21k 18% above U.S. |
| Ripton 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. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,466±$261Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk 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. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,771 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Ripton 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.