Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Dover vs Arundel vs Scarborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Arundel has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Dover | Arundel | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
33,364Highest |
4,418Lowest |
23,215 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.9±6.4 5% above U.S. |
48.8±2.7 25% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Arundel 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% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$101,597±$17k 26% above U.S. |
$133,558±$21kHighest 65% above U.S. |
| Scarborough 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±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$421,300±$62kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$551,900±$39kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,607±$495 14% above U.S. |
$1,956±$178Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 60% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,763Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$5,978 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scarborough and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #7 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Dover School District | RSU 21 | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.7Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.