Compare towns
Camden 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
Camden has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Camden | Wells | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,242Lowest |
11,713 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.2±6.5Lowest 17% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,344±$15kLowest 10% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Camden and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,269±$354Lowest 11% above 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 | $5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 | #11 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
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.