What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).

Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hartford	Kennebunk
People
Population	10,736Lowest	11,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hartford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hartford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S.	$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S.	$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S.	$1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average
	Kennebunk and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,773Highest 85% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hartford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 30% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#34 of 70 in VT	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Hartford School District	RSU 21
High school in town	Hartford High School	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.