Compare towns
Arundel vs Sanford 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 most homeowners (82.2%).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Arundel | Sanford | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,418Lowest |
22,247Highest |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Arundel and Sanford 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% |
20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.4% ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,597±$17kHighest 36% above ME |
$72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
| Arundel and Kennebunk 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 |
$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
$452,800±$17kHighest 53% 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 |
$1,152±$72Lowest about the ME average |
$1,466±$261 29% 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 | $3,763 24% above ME |
$3,708Lowest 22% above ME |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Sanford 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% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 133 in ME | #100 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Sanford Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Sanford High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.7 |
— |
| 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.