Compare towns
Kennebunk vs South Berwick vs Hampden
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%).
South Berwick has the most renters (33% rent).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($301k 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 | South Berwick | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
3,381Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
41.4±6.2 8% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.2% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and South Berwick 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 |
$90,972±$22kLowest 22% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden 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±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$396,700±$66k 34% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,702±$76Highest 49% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
| South Berwick and Kennebunk 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 |
$4,523 49% above ME |
$3,694Lowest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±30.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Hampden 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | — | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | — | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.