Compare towns
Appleton vs Eliot 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).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
7,146Highest |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Kennebunk 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 |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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 |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,466±$261 29% above ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.