Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Sturbridge 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 the most people working from home (36.6%).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | Sturbridge | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221Lowest |
9,960Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Lowest 21% 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge 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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Sturbridge 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7 |
— |
| 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.