Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Cape Elizabeth
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 affordable homes ($488k median).
Cape Elizabeth has the most expensive homes ($732k 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.
| Measure | Kennebunk | Cape Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
9,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
47.4±3.3Lowest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kLowest 44% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kLowest 64% above ME |
$731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Lowest 65% above ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Kennebunk and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Cape Elizabeth 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 | #1 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Cape Elizabeth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.