What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the youngest population (median age 43.8).

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	Northbridge	Kennebunk
People
Population	16,458Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Northbridge and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Northbridge and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S.
	Northbridge and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average
	Kennebunk and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.	$4,999Highest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northbridge and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#226 of 282 in MA	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Northbridge	RSU 21
High school in town	Northbridge High	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	11.6Highest
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.