Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Scarborough vs Springfield
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%).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($384k 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 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
23,215Highest |
1,122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
48.8±2.7Lowest 25% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Scarborough 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 34% above U.S. |
$133,558±$21kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| 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 47% above U.S. |
$551,900±$39kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,956±$178Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,978Highest 92% above U.S. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scarborough 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 21 | Scarborough Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Scarborough High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.