Compare towns
Eliot vs Kennebunk vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Lyman has the most affordable homes ($360k median).
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 | Kennebunk | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Highest |
6,221 |
4,612Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
53.8±2 20% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
30.9%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Lowest 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% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lyman and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
$87,284±$14kLowest 17% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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 |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$360,400±$44kLowest 22% 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 |
$1,466±$261 29% above ME |
$1,063±$522Lowest 7% below 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 |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7Lowest 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% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.