Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Kennebunk vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
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 | Bowdoin | Kennebunk | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
11,820Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 21 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.