What stands out worked out from the figures below

Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Kennebunk	Brattleboro
People
Population	11,820Lowest	12,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.	45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%	19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Brattleboro and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	25.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Kennebunk and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brattleboro and Kennebunk 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 34% above U.S.	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S.	$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average	$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.	$5,700Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brattleboro 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 U.S.: 12.5%	17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	19 minLowest 28% below U.S.
Work from home	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 133 in ME	#33 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 21	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town	Kennebunk High School	Brattleboro Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.