Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Wakefield vs Arundel
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%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Arundel has the most homeowners (82.2%).
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 | Wakefield | Arundel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221 |
27,793Highest |
4,418Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
40.9±6.4Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Arundel and Wakefield 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%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield and Arundel 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. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$101,597±$17k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 36% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$421,300±$62kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,607±$495 14% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Arundel 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. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$3,763Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #7 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.