Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Ogunquit vs Penobscot
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%).
Penobscot has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
1,379 |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.4±5.7Lowest 19% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Penobscot 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% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below 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 |
$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
— | $1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Penobscot 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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Lowest 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 | — | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.