Compare towns
Wells vs York vs North Berwick 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%).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
North Berwick has the youngest population (median age 41.6).
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 | York | North Berwick | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
13,986Highest |
5,129Lowest |
6,221 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% 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%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick 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% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±5Lowest 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% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| North Berwick 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 |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
$95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
| York and North Berwick 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 |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$428,500±$33kLowest 44% above ME |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,466±$261 29% 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 | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$3,735 23% above ME |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick and York 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | York Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | — |
| High school in town | Wells High School | York High School | Noble High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
12.0Highest |
— |
| 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.