Compare towns
Wells vs Canton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Canton has the highest household income ($143k).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Canton | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
24,748Highest |
6,221Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
54.3±7.2Highest 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%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Kennebunk 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% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±4.5 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% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$95,169±$21k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,560Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,771 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #81 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Canton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.