Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Ryegate 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 people working from home (32.5%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k 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 | Ryegate | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
1,059Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| 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%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Highest 60% above U.S. |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ryegate and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.