Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Camden
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 homeowners (82.6%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Camden has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
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 | Mapleton | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,221Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
5,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Camden 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,169±$21kHighest 27% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Mapleton 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
| Camden 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±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,269±$354 11% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Kennebunk 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
73.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 | — | — | #11 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.