Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Wells vs Boothbay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221 |
11,713Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 21% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Wells 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 27% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,147±$121Lowest about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771Highest 57% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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 ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.