What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the highest household income ($153k).

Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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	Amherst	Kennebunk
People
Population	11,861Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±3.5Lowest 18% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amherst and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amherst and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S.
	Amherst and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
	Amherst and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Kennebunk and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Kennebunk and Amherst 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	#20 of 120 in NH	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	RSU 21
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	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.