Compare towns
Bristol vs Freeport vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bristol | Freeport | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917Lowest |
8,802Highest |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
54.3±7.2 21% above ME |
| Bristol and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$95,169±$21kLowest 27% above ME |
| Freeport and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,771 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 05 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.