Compare towns
Winthrop vs Wells vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 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 | Winthrop | Wells | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,191 |
11,713Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Wells and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Wells and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,506Highest 15% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Wells 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.