Compare towns
Kensington vs Eliot vs Lebanon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Kensington | Eliot | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
7,146 |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9 11% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kensington and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Kensington 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kensington School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.