Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Needham vs Ogunquit 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 renters (19.4% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Wells 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 34% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 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 |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Needham | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Needham High | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.9Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.