Compare towns
Brookline vs Eliot vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Brookline | Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
7,146 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brookline School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.