Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Kennebunk vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Ellsworth | Kennebunk | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
11,820Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Kennebunk High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.6 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.