Compare towns
Wells vs Kittery vs South Eliot 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%).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | South Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
10,473 |
4,203Lowest |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| South Eliot and Kennebunk 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% |
15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
49.9% ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Kennebunk and South 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 |
$475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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 |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
| South 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 |
$4,442 46% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest 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 |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kittery Public Schools | — | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.