What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plaistow has the youngest population (median age 40.1).

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	Plaistow	Kennebunk
People
Population	7,861Lowest	11,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Plaistow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plaistow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,317±$13kHighest 34% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S.
	Plaistow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,664±$187Highest 18% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
	Plaistow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,194Highest 131% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plaistow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	13.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#66 of 120 in NH	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Timberlane Regional School District	RSU 21
High school in town	Timberlane Regional High School	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	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.