Compare towns
Boothbay vs Harpswell vs South Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Harpswell has the most people working from home (20.7%).
South Eliot has the most kids (15.2% under 18).
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 | Boothbay | Harpswell | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,102Lowest |
5,046Highest |
4,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9 27% above ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
55.5±8Lowest 24% above ME |
| Harpswell and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Eliot and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Harpswell and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
$99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Eliot and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$121Lowest about the ME average |
$1,348±$53 18% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
$4,442Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31 ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.