Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Lyme 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 most renters (26.9% rent).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Lyme | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,221 |
1,710 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%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. |
48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest 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% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 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. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Ogunquit 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. |
$645,000±$64k 94% 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. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Lyme 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% 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. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Lyme School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.