Compare towns
Arundel vs Salem vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arundel has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,418Lowest |
44,795Highest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±6.4 5% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,597±$17k 26% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| 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±$62kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$495 14% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Salem and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,763Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 133 in ME | #248 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Salem | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
U.S. 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.