Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Meredith vs Wolfeboro vs Freeport
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).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
6,758 |
6,571Lowest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith 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% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest 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% |
2.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Freeport 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. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average |
| Freeport and Kennebunk 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. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,042Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.