Compare towns
Wells vs Scarborough 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
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Scarborough has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Scarborough | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
23,215Highest |
5,129Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+17% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
| Wells and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick 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% |
24.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
| Scarborough 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 |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$428,500±$33kLowest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Scarborough High School | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.0Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.