Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Bristol vs Eliot
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%).
Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k 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 | Bristol | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221 |
2,917Lowest |
7,146Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 21% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
| Bristol and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol 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% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,169±$21kLowest 27% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot and Bristol 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 |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261 29% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771Highest 57% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 8% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.