What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	St. Albans
People
Population	11,713Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	St. Albans and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells and St. Albans 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 9% above U.S.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
	Wells and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.	$4,436Highest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	St. Albans 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 U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells and St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Wells High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	11.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.