Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Sutton vs Freeport 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%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Freeport has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Sutton | Freeport | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
9,452 |
8,802Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% 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% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Freeport 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Freeport and Wells 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. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Freeport and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,999 60% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Sutton 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% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #4 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Sutton | RSU 05 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Sutton High School | Freeport High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.6Highest |
12.2 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.