Compare towns
Etna vs Kennebunk vs Ogunquit vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
Kennebunk has the most renters (19.4% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Charleston has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Etna | Kennebunk | Ogunquit | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,252 |
11,820Highest |
1,379 |
1,117Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
45.4±5.9 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9% ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$75,250±$20k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$226,500±$17k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
— | $988±$870Lowest 13% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$1,811 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | — | #9 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 21 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Kennebunk High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 12 photos → | 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.