Compare towns
Wells vs Naples vs Kennebunk vs Topsham
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%).
Naples has the most affordable homes ($340k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Topsham has the youngest population (median age 44.7).
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 | Naples | Kennebunk | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
3,985Lowest |
6,221 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| 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% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 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% ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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±$11k 18% above ME |
$78,188±$13kLowest 5% above ME |
$95,169±$21kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Wells 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 |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,466±$261 29% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Naples 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 |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples 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% |
9.5% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Lake Region High School | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.7 |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.