Compare towns
Cornish vs Kennebunk vs North Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
North Berwick has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Kennebunk | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
11,820Highest |
1,702Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
40.1±8.2 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$98,317±$69k 32% above ME |
| Kennebunk and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84kLowest 8% below ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$346,900±$86k 17% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,088±$247Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,164 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.8%±35.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | — | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.