Compare towns
Wells vs Salem 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%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
44,795Highest |
6,221Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$95,169±$21kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$452,800±$17kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,466±$261 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,771 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #248 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Salem | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Salem High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.