Compare towns
York vs Wells vs Orrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
York has the most people working from home (26%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Orrington has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
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 | York | Wells | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,986Highest |
11,713 |
3,853Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.2Lowest 10% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.5±3.3Lowest 10% above ME |
| Wells and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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+ | 53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
| York and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$309,000±$49kLowest 4% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,167±$135Lowest about the ME average |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,658Highest 53% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | York Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | York High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.4Highest |
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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.