Compare towns
Topsham vs South Eliot vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
South Eliot has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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.
| Measure | Topsham | South Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
4,203Lowest |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50% ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above 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 | $360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% 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 | $1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
$4,442 46% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 133 in ME | — | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | — | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| 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.