Compare towns
Wells vs Ira vs Ogunquit 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 kids (18% under 18).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Kennebunk has the most renters (19.4% rent).
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 | Ira | Ogunquit | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
381Lowest |
1,379 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— | $1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,999Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | — | — | #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 | 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.