Compare towns
Wells vs Amesbury vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
Amesbury has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Wells | Amesbury | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Lowest |
17,403Highest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
| Amesbury and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #151 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Amesbury | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Amesbury High | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.9Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.