Compare towns
Wells vs Upton vs Gray vs Topsham
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Upton | Gray | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,429 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Wells and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Topsham 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Blackstone Valley | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.