Compare towns
Wells vs Wakefield vs Ogunquit vs Eliot
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 the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 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 | Wakefield | Ogunquit | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
27,793Highest |
1,379Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Wakefield 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. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
— | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Eliot 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. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Wakefield 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #179 of 282 in MA | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.