Compare towns
Wells vs Sanford vs Ogunquit vs North Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
North Berwick has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
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 | Sanford | Ogunquit | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
22,247Highest |
1,379Lowest |
5,129 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick 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±$11k 18% above ME |
$72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
| Ogunquit and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,152±$72 about the ME average |
— | $1,105±$116Lowest 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 |
$3,708 22% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #100 of 133 in ME | — | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Sanford Public Schools | — | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Sanford High School | — | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
17.7Highest |
— | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.