What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	Townsend
People
Population	11,713Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend 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%	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend 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.	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.
	Townsend and Wells 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.	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.
	Townsend 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.	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 133 in ME	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	North Middlesex
High school in town	Wells High School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.