Compare towns
Kensington vs Wells vs Exeter
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Wells | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
11,713 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Kensington 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Wells 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. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627 28% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Wells 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% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kensington School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.