Compare towns
Wells River vs Pittston vs Whiting
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 River has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Pittston has the most homeowners (81%).
Whiting has the most people working from home (10%).
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 River | Pittston | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
3,093Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9 6% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wells River and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells River and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$86,614±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Whiting and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$238,700±$66k 28% below U.S. |
$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,080±$593 24% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154 33% above U.S. |
$1,909Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Whiting and Wells River 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 | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.