Compare towns
Wells vs Kittery vs Kennebunk vs Eliot
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%).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | Kittery | Kennebunk | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
10,473 |
11,820Highest |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% 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%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 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% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Eliot 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 |
$468,500±$31kLowest 58% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% 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±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot and Kittery 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 |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Wells 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 21 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
11.6Highest |
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| 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.