Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Needham vs Boothbay
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%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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.
| Measure | Kennebunk | Needham | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221 |
32,459Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 40% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
56.8±3.9Highest 46% above U.S. |
| 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%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.4%±7.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Boothbay and Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$60,320±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$342,100±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,147±$121Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771 53% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$2,202Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
13 minLowest 50% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| 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.