Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Scarborough vs Old Orchard Beach
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%).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Old Orchard Beach has the most affordable homes ($367k 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 | Scarborough | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
23,215Highest |
9,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
48.8±2.7Lowest 9% above ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Scarborough 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 |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Scarborough 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 |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$366,600±$38kLowest 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,246±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 65% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Old Orchard Beach 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% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Scarborough High School | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.0 |
7.6Lowest |
| 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.