Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Eliot vs Old Orchard Beach
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%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Old Orchard Beach has the most affordable homes ($367k 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 | Eliot | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
7,146Lowest |
9,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$366,600±$38kLowest 24% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,246±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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 |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 7.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.