Compare towns
Wells vs South Eliot vs Dover vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
South Eliot has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | South Eliot | Dover | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
4,203Lowest |
33,364Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Gray 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 9% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Wells and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,442 42% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — | Dover School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | — | Dover Senior High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.