Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Rockport vs Orrington vs Wells
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 people working from home (32.5%).
Rockport has the shortest commute (11 min average).
Orrington has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Rockport | Orrington | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
3,675Lowest |
3,853 |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
48.7±3.7Lowest 9% above ME |
49.5±3.3 10% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Rockport and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
24.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells 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% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Rockport 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±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,979±$16kLowest 16% above ME |
$94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Orrington 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 |
$469,000±$50k 58% above ME |
$309,000±$49kLowest 4% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,194±$667 5% above ME |
$1,167±$135Lowest about the ME average |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 65% above ME |
$5,764Highest 90% above ME |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±42.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Rockport 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 ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.5% ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
11 minLowest 54% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | #8 of 133 in ME | #41 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28 | Orrington Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Camden Hills Regional H S | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.6Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.