What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the youngest population (median age 43.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amesbury	Kennebunk
People
Population	17,403Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S.
	Kennebunk and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
	Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#151 of 282 in MA	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Amesbury	RSU 21
High school in town	Amesbury High	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.