Compare towns
Wells vs Lee 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%).
Lee has the highest household income ($132k).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Lee | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
4,576Lowest |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
54.3±7.2Highest 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%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±4.5 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% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee 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 9% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$95,169±$21k 18% above U.S. |
| Lee 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±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Wells and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,466±$261Highest 4% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$4,771 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±13.2 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | None yet |
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.