Compare towns
Appleton vs Camden 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).
Camden has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Camden | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
5,242 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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% |
18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Camden and Kennebunk 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 |
$1,269±$354 11% above ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Camden 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 | — | #11 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | 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.