Compare towns

Wells vs Webster vs Gray

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%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).

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.

MeasureWellsWebsterGray
People
Population
11,713
17,748Highest
8,429Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+18%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
53.6±3.8Highest
38% above U.S.
39.9±2.9Lowest
about the U.S. average
43.4±4.5
12% above U.S.
Kids under 18
18%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
19%±4
U.S.: 22%
Webster and Gray 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%
19.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
43.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
25.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$88,024±$11k
9% above U.S.
$72,895±$6kLowest
10% below U.S.
$95,236±$8kHighest
18% above U.S.
Gray 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.
$361,500±$12kLowest
9% above U.S.
$363,700±$20k
9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,350±$297
4% below U.S.
$1,228±$81Lowest
13% below U.S.
$1,371±$89Highest
about the U.S. average
Gray 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.
$3,999Highest
28% above U.S.
$3,683
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.1%±19.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.7%±6.7
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
12.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1962Lowest
18 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minLowest
4% above U.S.
31 minHighest
16% above U.S.
29 min
8% above U.S.
Work from home
17.8%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Wells and Gray 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 #271 of 282 in MA #10 of 133 in ME
School district Wells-Ogunquit CSD Webster RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town Wells High School Bartlett High School Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Lowest
11.6
12.5Highest
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.