What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has the most people working from home (17.8%).

Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).

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	Sanford
People
Population	11,713Lowest	22,247Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME	42.1±2.8Lowest 6% below ME
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Sanford 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%	20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest ME: 36.2%	24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Wells and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME	$72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average
	Wells and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME	$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME	$1,152±$72Lowest about the ME average
	Wells and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 6% above ME	$3,708Highest 22% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±7.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Sanford 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 ME: 10.7%	10.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 12% above ME	28 minHighest 14% above ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%	9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 133 in ME	#100 of 133 in ME
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Sanford Public Schools
High school in town	Wells High School	Sanford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	17.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.