Compare towns
Danvers vs Kennebunk vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Danvers | Kennebunk | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
11,820 |
11,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Danvers and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Kennebunk High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.6 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.