Compare towns
Deerfield 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
Deerfield has the highest household income ($132k).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Deerfield | Kennebunk | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,932Lowest |
6,221 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
54.3±7.2Highest 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 | 20.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Deerfield and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±4.5 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+ | 47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$95,169±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,771 53% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Deerfield School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.