Compare towns
Arundel vs Scarborough 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).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Scarborough | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,418Lowest |
23,215Highest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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% |
16.6%±2Lowest 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% |
24.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,597±$17kLowest 36% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
| Scarborough 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±$62kLowest 42% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$495 41% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
| Scarborough and Arundel 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 |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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 | #7 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Scarborough High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
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.