Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Mapleton vs Hope
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
1,884 |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Hope 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Hope 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools |
| 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 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.