What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).

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	Townsend	Kennebunk
People
Population	9,100Lowest	11,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S.
	Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	North Middlesex	RSU 21
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

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.