Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Upton vs Arundel vs Freeport
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Arundel has the most affordable homes ($421k median).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Upton | Arundel | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
8,189 |
4,418Lowest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
40.9±6.4Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Arundel 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Freeport and Arundel 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,597±$17kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$421,300±$62kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,607±$495Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
| Arundel and Freeport 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,763Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #7 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 21 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.2Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.