What stands out worked out from the figures below

Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).

Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Nashua	Kennebunk
People
Population	91,294Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Nashua and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S.
	Kennebunk and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
	Nashua and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,799Highest 118% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Nashua and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#67 of 120 in NH	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Nashua School District	RSU 21
High school in town	Nashua High School South	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.