Compare towns
York vs Kennebunk vs Eliot vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Kennebunk | Eliot | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,986Highest |
11,820 |
7,146Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Topsham 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest 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% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| York and Kennebunk 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 |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Eliot and York 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| York and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | York Public Schools | RSU 21 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | York High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.6 |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.