Compare towns
Wells vs Hanover 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%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
8,479Lowest |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below 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%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest 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% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | — | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.