Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Arundel
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Arundel has the shortest commute (23 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 | Mapleton | Strong | Arundel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
4,418 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Arundel 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Arundel 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$421,300±$62k 42% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
| Arundel and Kennebunk 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,763 24% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Kennebunk and Arundel 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% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Strong 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 | — | — | #7 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | 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 | 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.