Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Ogunquit vs Palermo
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 renters (19.4% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k 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 | Ogunquit | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Palermo and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Palermo 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$89,095±$15kLowest 19% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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±$21k 64% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
— | $1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Palermo 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 21 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.