Compare towns
Eliot vs Bowdoin vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
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 | Eliot | Bowdoin | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
3,188Lowest |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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+ | 43.6% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— | $1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 50% above ME |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | 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 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.