Compare towns
Boothbay vs South 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
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
South Eliot has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | South Eliot | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,102Lowest |
4,203 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
55.5±8 24% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Boothbay and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Topsham 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 |
$99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| South Eliot and Topsham 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 |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$121Lowest about the ME average |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| South Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$4,442Highest 46% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Topsham 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham and South Eliot 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 | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.