Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Jay 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%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k 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 | Jay | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
4,657Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below 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% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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 |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Kennebunk 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 73 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Spruce Mountain High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.