Compare towns
Ashby vs Kennebunk vs Ogunquit vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Kennebunk has the most renters (19.4% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Ashby | Kennebunk | Ogunquit | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
11,820Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | RSU 21 | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | — | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.