Compare towns
Eliot 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
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
North Berwick has the most kids (21.2% 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 | Eliot | Kennebunk | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
11,820Highest |
5,129Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below 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% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5Lowest 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% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick 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±$10kLowest 36% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$101,875±$16k 36% 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 | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$428,500±$33kLowest 44% 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±$290 25% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,735Lowest 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.