Compare towns

Kennebunk vs Bowdoin vs Kennebunk

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 highest household income ($108k).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).

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.

MeasureKennebunkBowdoinKennebunk
People
Population
11,820Highest
3,188Lowest
6,221
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.8%
ME: +2.6%
+2.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+10.8%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
54.6±3.3Highest
22% above ME
44.3±10Lowest
about the ME average
54.3±7.2
21% above ME
Kennebunk and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.7%±3Lowest
ME: 18.1%
19.1%±6.2Highest
ME: 18.1%
18.1%±4.2
ME: 18.1%
Bowdoin and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
30%±4
ME: 22.4%
14.1%±4.7Lowest
ME: 22.4%
30.9%±4.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
Kennebunk and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
51.2%
ME: 36.2%
30.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
52%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.7%±1.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.5%±2.2
ME: 5.8%
2.3%±2.2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Kennebunk and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$107,804±$8kHighest
44% above ME
$91,239±$13kLowest
22% above ME
$95,169±$21k
27% above ME
Kennebunk and Kennebunk 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
$292,800±$71kLowest
about the ME average
$452,800±$17k
53% above ME
Kennebunk and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,425±$290Lowest
25% above ME
—
$1,466±$261Highest
29% above ME
Kennebunk 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
$3,375Lowest
11% above ME
$4,771
57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.1%±10.9
ME: 48.4%
0%±42.3Lowest
ME: 48.4%
40.3%±13.2Highest
ME: 48.4%
Kennebunk and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
11%
ME: 10.7%
11.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.6%
ME: 74.3%
84.7%Highest
ME: 74.3%
73.1%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983
6 yrs newer than ME
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
1980Lowest
3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
9% above ME
32 minHighest
29% above ME
23 minLowest
8% below ME
Work from home
32.5%±7.6
ME: 15.9%
11.7%±7Lowest
ME: 15.9%
36.6%±10.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
Kennebunk and Kennebunk 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 #28 of 133 in ME #9 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 21 RSU 75/MSAD 75 —
High school in town Kennebunk High School None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.6
— —
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.