Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Salem 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%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221 |
44,795Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 40% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
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%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Salem 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% |
17.2%±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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,169±$21kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$60,320±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$342,100±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,147±$121Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771 53% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$2,202Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
13 minLowest 50% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Salem | — |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.