Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Dover vs Kensington
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
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 | Kensington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
33,364Highest |
2,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.3±5.9 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Kensington 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%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.5%Lowest 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% |
3.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,813±$627Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Kennebunk 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% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 21 | Dover School District | Kensington School District |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.