Compare towns
Wells vs Standish 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%).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
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 | Standish | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
10,662 |
6,221Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±4.5 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% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
| Standish 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 64% above ME |
$336,000±$18kLowest 13% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% 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±$297 19% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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 |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish 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 ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 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 |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Bonny Eagle High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.