Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Freeport vs Scarborough 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%).
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Scarborough has the highest household income ($134k).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
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 | Freeport | Scarborough | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
8,802Lowest |
23,215Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+17% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
48.8±2.7Lowest 9% 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% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Lowest 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
57.7% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Scarborough 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Scarborough 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 |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
| Scarborough and Freeport 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 |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 65% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Scarborough 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% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 05 | Scarborough Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Freeport High School | Scarborough High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.2Highest |
11.0Lowest |
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.