Compare towns
York vs Hampden vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($301k 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 | York | Hampden | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,986Highest |
7,896Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
| Kennebunk and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$107,804±$8kLowest 44% above ME |
| York and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% 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 | $4,658 53% above ME |
$3,694Lowest 22% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| York and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | York Public Schools | RSU 22 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | York High School | Hampden Academy | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
14.8Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.