Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Kingston vs Ogunquit 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the youngest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Kingston | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,221 |
6,275 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 40% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
24.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells 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% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ogunquit 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 18% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771 53% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Kingston 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Sanborn Regional School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Sanborn Regional High School | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.