Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Appleton vs Freeport vs Boothbay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Freeport has the highest household income ($107k).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
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 | Kennebunk | Appleton | Freeport | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,221 |
1,360Lowest |
8,802Highest |
3,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 21% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
| Boothbay and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771 57% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | — | #4 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 05 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Freeport High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.