What stands out worked out from the figures below

Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).

Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Buxton	Scarborough
People
Population	8,512Lowest	23,215Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+17%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.5±3.9Lowest about the ME average	48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	57.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,144±$21kLowest 34% above ME	$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME	$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,613±$266Lowest 42% above ME	$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,422Lowest 13% above ME	$5,978Highest 97% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	4.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.3%Highest ME: 74.3%	77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 39% above ME	19 minLowest 21% below ME
Work from home	8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#104 of 133 in ME	#35 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 06/MSAD 06	Scarborough Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	Scarborough High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.