Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Mapleton 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 people working from home (32.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Mapleton | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
1,884Lowest |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Kennebunk 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% |
24.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Scarborough 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 |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
| Scarborough and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 65% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough 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% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 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 |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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 | — | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.