Compare towns
Exeter vs Wells vs Kennebunk vs Newfields
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Wells | Kennebunk | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,713 |
11,820 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Exeter 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. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Newfields 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Newfields 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 21 | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Wells High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.