Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Eliot vs Wells vs Camden
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 the youngest population (median age 50.8).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Camden has the most renters (26.5% rent).
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 | Wells | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
7,146 |
11,713 |
5,242Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Camden 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 |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$82,344±$15kLowest 10% above 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±$62k 68% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
| Camden and Eliot 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 |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,269±$354Lowest 11% 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 | $4,999 65% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #11 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.