Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Stow vs Eliot
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 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 | Stow | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221Lowest |
7,165Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,169±$21kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Stow 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Eliot 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #44 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Nashoba | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.