Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Biddeford vs Arundel
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 (32.5%).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Arundel has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
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 | Biddeford | Arundel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
22,498Highest |
4,418Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
40.9±6.4 9% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
$421,300±$62k 42% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,292±$100Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$3,763Lowest 24% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Biddeford and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #7 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.