Compare towns
Wells vs Topsham vs Gray vs York
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 renters (21.1% rent).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
York has the most people working from home (26%).
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 | York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
9,706 |
8,429Lowest |
13,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% 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 |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
| Wells and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| York and Topsham 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% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and York 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest 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% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
| York 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 |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
| York and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,658Highest 53% 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%±24 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| York and Gray 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% 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 |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Mt Ararat High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.2 |
12.5Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.