Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Thornton vs Eliot
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%).
Thornton has the most affordable homes ($352k median).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k 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 | Thornton | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
2,799Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4 31% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Thornton 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% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thornton 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±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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 |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$5,032Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton and Eliot 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% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Thornton 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 | #18 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Thornton School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.