Compare towns
Wells vs Wakefield vs York
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%).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
York 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 | Wakefield | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Lowest |
27,793Highest |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2 27% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| York and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1% 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% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$121,250±$25k 50% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and York 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±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30k 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,658 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| York 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| York and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.7 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.