What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).

South Berwick has the most renters (33% 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	South Berwick
People
Population	11,713Highest	3,381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME	41.4±6.2Lowest 8% below ME
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.7%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	South 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%	15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.2%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	4%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Wells and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME	$90,972±$22kHighest 22% above ME
	South Berwick and Wells 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	$396,700±$66kLowest 34% above ME
	Wells and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME	$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME
	South Berwick and Wells 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	$4,523Highest 49% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	55.7%±30.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	South Berwick and Wells 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%	4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	67%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 12% above ME	29 minHighest 19% above ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%	13.9%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Wells and South Berwick 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	#58 of 133 in ME
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	—
High school in town	Wells High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	—
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.