Compare towns
Wells vs Kennebunk vs Eliot vs North Berwick
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%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
North Berwick has the youngest population (median age 41.6).
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 | Kennebunk | Eliot | North Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
11,820Highest |
7,146 |
5,129Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below 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%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Wells 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% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick and Wells 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 |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
| Kennebunk and North Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$428,500±$33kLowest 44% above ME |
| Eliot and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
| Eliot and Kennebunk 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #82 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 21 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Noble High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.6 |
— | 12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.