Compare towns
Appleton vs Arundel vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Arundel has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Appleton | Arundel | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
4,418 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$421,300±$62k 42% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,763 24% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #7 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 21 | 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 | 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.