Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Arundel
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Arundel has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Arundel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,221Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
4,418 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Appleton 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Appleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$101,597±$17kHighest 36% above ME |
| Arundel 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±$17kHighest 53% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$421,300±$62k 42% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
| Arundel 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,763 24% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | — | — | #7 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.