Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Wells vs Eliot vs Kennebunkport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Kennebunkport has the most expensive homes ($814k 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 | Wells | Eliot | Kennebunkport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,820Highest |
11,713 |
7,146 |
1,276Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
63.1±4.2Highest 41% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.2%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells 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% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
45.3%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
54.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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±$8k 44% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$121,189±$24kHighest 62% above ME |
| Kennebunkport 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 |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$814,400±$148kHighest 175% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— |
| Eliot 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,255 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
44 minHighest 79% above ME |
| Work from home | 32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
41.4%±14.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunkport and Kennebunk 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #42 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Kennebunk High School | Wells High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.