Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Meredith vs Wells
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%).
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Meredith | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
6,758Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Kennebunk 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% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Wells 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Meredith 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 34% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 60% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.