Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Kennebunkport vs York vs Scarborough
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 affordable homes ($488k median).
Kennebunkport has the most expensive homes ($741k median).
York has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Kennebunkport | York | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
3,684Lowest |
13,986 |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
59.1±5Highest 32% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
48.8±2.7Lowest 9% above ME |
| Kennebunkport and Kennebunk 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% |
8%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
| York 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% |
36.9%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunkport 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.3% ME: 36.2% |
53.1% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough 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 |
$102,747±$30kLowest 37% above ME |
$121,250±$25k 62% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
| Scarborough and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kLowest 64% above ME |
$740,500±$109kHighest 150% above ME |
$636,400±$30k 115% above ME |
$551,900±$39k 86% above ME |
| Kennebunkport and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
$1,429±$296 25% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
| Scarborough and York 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 |
$3,914Lowest 29% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
25.8%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
| York and Scarborough 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% |
4.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
34 minHighest 38% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
31.6%±9.4 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Kennebunkport 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 | #42 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 21 | York Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | York High School | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.