Compare towns

Wells vs Sunapee vs Ogunquit 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

Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).

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.

MeasureWellsSunapeeOgunquitGray
People
Population
11,713Highest
3,416
1,379Lowest
8,429
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+18%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
53.6±3.8
38% above U.S.
56.7±1.4
46% above U.S.
62.8±4.8Highest
61% above U.S.
43.4±4.5Lowest
12% above U.S.
Ogunquit and Sunapee 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%
9.9%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
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%
33.3%±7.1
U.S.: 17.2%
43.6%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ogunquit and Sunapee 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%
50.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±3.5
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Gray 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±$11kLowest
9% above U.S.
$101,393±$20k
26% above U.S.
$114,259±$56kHighest
42% above U.S.
$95,236±$8k
18% above U.S.
Ogunquit and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$485,300±$23k
46% above U.S.
$393,000±$51k
18% above U.S.
$875,700±$79kHighest
163% above U.S.
$363,700±$20kLowest
9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,350±$297Lowest
4% below U.S.
$1,713±$451Highest
21% above U.S.
—
$1,371±$89
about the U.S. average
Sunapee and Gray 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.
$4,400
41% above U.S.
$4,473Highest
43% above U.S.
$3,683
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.1%±19.6
U.S.: 51.1%
34.6%±10.5
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and Wells 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%
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1975Lowest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
4% above U.S.
33 minHighest
24% above U.S.
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
29 min
8% above U.S.
Work from home
17.8%±4.2
U.S.: 15.1%
9.5%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
43.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #22 of 133 in ME #14 of 120 in NH — #10 of 133 in ME
School district Wells-Ogunquit CSD Sunapee School District — RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town Wells High School Sunapee Sr. High School — Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Lowest
11.9
—
12.5Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.