Compare towns
Kennebunk vs New Gloucester vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 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 | New Gloucester | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
5,766Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
40.1±5.5 10% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester 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 |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$99,572±$13kLowest 33% above ME |
| New Gloucester 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±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| South Berwick 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 |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,956 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.