Compare towns
Eliot vs Kennebunk vs Vinalhaven
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%).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 | Vinalhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
11,820Highest |
1,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest 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%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Vinalhaven 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 |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$428,400±$44kLowest 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 |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,598Lowest 19% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Vinalhaven 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% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Vinalhaven 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | — |
| High school 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.