Compare towns
Exeter vs Kennebunk vs Scarborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Exeter | Kennebunk | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
11,820Lowest |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
48.8±2.7 25% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$133,558±$21kHighest 65% above U.S. |
| Scarborough and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$551,900±$39kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,956±$178Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Scarborough and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,978 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 21 | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Kennebunk High School | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.6 |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.