Compare towns
Henniker vs Wells vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Wells | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,197Lowest |
11,713 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% 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 | 15.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 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+ | 41.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,206±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,700±$49kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$164Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,877Highest 185% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±22.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Henniker and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #56 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Henniker School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.