Compare towns
South Eliot vs Kennebunk vs Boothbay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Eliot has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 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 | South Eliot | Kennebunk | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,203 |
11,820Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±8 24% above ME |
54.6±3.3Lowest 22% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
| Boothbay and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.8%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Kennebunk and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
| Kennebunk and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,147±$121Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,442 46% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | — | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.