Compare towns
Wells vs Thornton 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%).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
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.
| Measure | Wells | Thornton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,799Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4 31% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest 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%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Thornton 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. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Gray 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±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| Gray 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. |
$3,683 18% 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% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton 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% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Thornton School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| 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.