Compare towns
Wells vs Bath vs Walden
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 (+5.6%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Bath | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
8,815Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Wells and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Bath 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| 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.