Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Madbury vs Plainfield
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%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Madbury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
2,203Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Plainfield 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% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Madbury 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Kennebunk and Plainfield 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Plainfield 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 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 21 | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.