Compare towns
Wells vs Sunapee 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%).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Sunapee | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
3,416Lowest |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3 40% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wells 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% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Sunapee 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. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Wells 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. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
| Sunapee and Kennebunk 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. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,999Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | #14 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Sunapee School District | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.