What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).

Kennebunk has the oldest population (median age 54.6).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bedford	Kennebunk
People
Population	23,746Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bedford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	27%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Kennebunk and Bedford 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 120 in NH	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Bedford School District	RSU 21
High school in town	Bedford High School	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.