Compare towns
Belfast vs Wells vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most affordable homes ($341k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Belfast | Wells | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Lowest |
11,713 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| Belfast and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 37% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Wells High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.4 |
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.