Compare towns

Kennebunk vs Eliot 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%).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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.

MeasureKennebunkEliotBoothbay
People
Population
6,221
7,146Highest
3,102Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.8%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+8.3%
ME: +2.6%
-3.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
54.3±7.2
21% above ME
50.8±5.9Lowest
13% 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%±4.2Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.3%±3.9
ME: 18.1%
11.5%±3.8Lowest
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%
27.8%±6.2Lowest
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%Highest
ME: 36.2%
43.6%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
51.9%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.3%±2.2
ME: 5.8%
2%±1.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
6%±3.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
Boothbay and Kennebunk 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
$101,522±$10kHighest
36% above ME
$60,320±$17kLowest
19% below ME
Eliot 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
$498,900±$62kHighest
68% above ME
$342,100±$43kLowest
15% 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
$1,948±$471Highest
71% above ME
$1,147±$121Lowest
about the ME average
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
$4,549
50% above ME
$2,202Lowest
27% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.3%±13.2
ME: 48.4%
55.1%±20.1Highest
ME: 48.4%
30.4%±31Lowest
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%
4.8%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
6.8%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.1%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
79.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
78.4%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
3 yrs newer than ME
1979
2 yrs newer than ME
1976Lowest
1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minHighest
8% below ME
23 min
9% below ME
13 minLowest
46% below ME
Work from home
36.6%±10.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
17.4%±4.7
ME: 15.9%
5.7%±2.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #9 of 133 in ME #19 of 133 in ME —
School district — RSU 35/MSAD 35 —
High school 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.