Compare towns
Arundel vs Belfast vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arundel has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Belfast has the most affordable homes ($341k median).
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 | Arundel | Belfast | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,418Lowest |
6,986 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| Belfast and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
$67,679±$9kLowest 9% below 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 | $421,300±$62k 42% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% 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 | $1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below 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 | $3,763Lowest 24% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 71 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Belfast Area High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.