Compare towns
Wells vs Topsham vs Gray vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Topsham | Gray | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
9,706 |
8,429 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| 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 ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Topsham 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 18% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| 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±$23k 64% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| 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±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Eliot 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Mt Ararat High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.2 |
12.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.