Compare towns
Alfred vs Bowdoin vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Alfred | Bowdoin | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125Lowest |
3,188 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
— | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543 17% above ME |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #74 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.