Compare towns

Kennebunk vs Durham vs Arundel

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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Arundel has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureKennebunkDurhamArundel
People
Population
11,820
15,080Highest
4,418Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
54.6±3.3Highest
40% above U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
40.9±6.4
5% above U.S.
Kids under 18
17.7%±3
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.4%±5.6Highest
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%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.9%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
51.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
29.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.5%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$107,804±$8k
34% above U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$101,597±$17kLowest
26% above U.S.
Durham 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.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$421,300±$62kLowest
27% above U.S.
Durham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,425±$290Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,429±$143
about the U.S. average
$1,607±$495Highest
14% above U.S.
Arundel and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,999
60% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$3,763Lowest
21% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.1%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
34.2%±22.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
7.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1981Lowest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1992Highest
12 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
Work from home
32.5%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #9 of 133 in ME #9 of 120 in NH #7 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 21 Oyster River Coop School District RSU 21
High school in town Kennebunk High School Oyster River High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.6Lowest
12.3Highest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 51 photos → 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.