Compare towns
Appleton vs Freeport 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).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Freeport | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,802 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above 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% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Appleton 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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 |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Freeport 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 |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
| Freeport 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 |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Freeport 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.