Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Eliot vs York vs Wells
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | York | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
7,146Lowest |
13,986Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
49.5±5.2Lowest 10% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% 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% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| York 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% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Kennebunk 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 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| York 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 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
| Eliot and York 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 |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| York and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | York Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | York High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.