Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Lyme vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Lyme | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
1,710Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Lyme 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Lyme 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 21 | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
U.S. 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.