Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Wells’ average trip to work is 43 minutes, above both New York’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 3 of the 759 New York towns we compare have a higher median age than Wells. 91% of the land in Wells is conserved, above both New York’s towns (5.2%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Siamese Ponds Wilderness, 37,622 acres with 21.9 miles of trail. Wells has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Wells beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 331 in 1820, a peak of 1,298 in 1890, 683 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 3 maps from 1907 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wells, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Wells.
87 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wilcox Lake Wild Forest | 22.4 mi | 23,460 |
| 2. Siamese Ponds Wilderness | 21.9 mi | 37,622 |
| 3. Silver Lake Wilderness | 12 mi | 21,975 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Wells Central School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 128 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Wells’ FEMA risk score is 81 of 100. Since 2019, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Wells.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The July high in Wells is 77°F. Wells has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Wells for work: only 11% work in town. Since 2013, Wells has added 54 jobs, to 123 in 2023. 4.6% of Wells residents live below the poverty line.
| Wells | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Wells beats the New York average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 44% of adults have high blood pressure in Wells. Of the 756 New York towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Wells.
| Wells | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| What stands out | Wells | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.1% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.7% | 77.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.6% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Wells; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Wells residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
90.7% of the town is conserved land, across 6 parks and preserves.
Town in New York, United States
Wells is a town in Hamilton County, New York, United States. The population was 674 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Joshua Wells, a land agent, who built the first mills in the area. It is in the Adirondack Park and on the eastern border of the county. It is northwest of Schenectady.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Wells has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Leonard Volk and Joel Whitman.