Compare towns
Kennebunk vs South Eliot vs York
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 Eliot has the shortest commute (21 min average).
York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 Eliot | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820 |
4,203Lowest |
13,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
49.5±5.2Lowest 10% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kennebunk 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% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| York and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot 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% |
49.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 |
$99,299±$9kLowest 33% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
| York 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 |
$475,600±$52kLowest 60% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,442Lowest 46% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and York 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 | — | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | — | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | — | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.