Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Williston vs Wells
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%).
Williston has the youngest population (median age 45.4).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
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 | Williston | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,221Lowest |
10,144 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2Highest 40% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Kennebunk 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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±$21k 18% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Williston and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Wells and Williston 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. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Williston 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. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Wells 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.