Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Canton vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Canton has the highest household income ($143k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Canton | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221Lowest |
24,748Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% 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 | 18.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Canton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest 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+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,169±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771 53% above U.S. |
$6,560Highest 110% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Canton High | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.