Compare towns
Wells vs York vs Ogunquit 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 the most affordable homes ($485k median).
York has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Kennebunk has the most renters (19.4% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713 |
13,986Highest |
1,379Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
49.5±5.2Lowest 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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 ME: 36.2% |
53.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56k 53% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
| York and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$636,400±$30k 115% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
— | $1,425±$290 25% 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| York 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | — | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | York Public Schools | — | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | York High School | — | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.