Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Canton vs Wells
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%).
Canton has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Canton | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
1,191Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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 44% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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 |
$2,277Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Wells 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% |
8.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.