What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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	Bristol	Kennebunk
People
Population	2,917Lowest	11,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	61±3.2Highest 36% above ME	54.6±3.3Lowest 22% 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%	17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1%
	Kennebunk and Bristol 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%	30%±4Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.7%Highest ME: 36.2%	51.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8%
	Kennebunk and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,750±$19kLowest 35% above ME	$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME
	Kennebunk 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	$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME	$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME
	Kennebunk and Bristol 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	$4,999Highest 65% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.1%±10.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Kennebunk and Bristol 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%	7.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 28% below ME	27 minHighest 9% above ME
Work from home	25%±8.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	32.5%±7.6Highest 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	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Bristol Public Schools	RSU 21
High school in town	None in town	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.