What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Salem has the most renters (50.3% 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	Salem
People
Population	11,713Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Wells and Salem 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%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Wells and Salem 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.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem 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%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salem and Wells 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	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Salem
High school in town	Wells High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.