Compare towns
Wells vs Thornton vs Eliot
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%).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Thornton | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,799Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4 31% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Wells and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot 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% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thornton 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. |
$90,022±$17k 12% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Thornton 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. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells 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. |
$5,032Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton and Eliot 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% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton 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 | #18 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Thornton School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.