Compare towns
Wells vs Dedham vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
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 | Dedham | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,656Lowest |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| 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 ME: 36.2% |
49.5% ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Dedham 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 18% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
| Dedham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
| Wells 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 19% above ME |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| 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.