Compare towns
Eliot vs Kennebunk vs South Eliot vs Wells
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 youngest population (median age 50.8).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
South Eliot has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Eliot | Kennebunk | South Eliot | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
11,820Highest |
4,203Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kennebunk 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% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot and Wells 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% |
49.9% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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±$10k 36% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% 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 |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$475,600±$52kLowest 60% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 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±$471 71% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
| South Eliot and Eliot 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 |
$4,442 46% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Eliot 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% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.