Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Carmel
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%).
Carmel 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.
| Measure | Kennebunk | Carmel |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
2,941Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and Carmel 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 |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Carmel 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 |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Carmel 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 |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.