Compare towns
Hampden vs Kennebunk vs Wells vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Hampden | Kennebunk | Wells | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,896Lowest |
11,820Highest |
11,713 |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 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+ | 45.9% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Hampden and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% 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 | $1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Kennebunk High School | Wells High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.6 |
11.4Lowest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.