Compare towns
Wells vs Mapleton vs York 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
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 | Mapleton | York | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
1,884Lowest |
13,986Highest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% 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%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and York 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
| York 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 64% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
| York and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215 6% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| York 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 | — | #13 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | York Public Schools | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | York High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 9.6Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.