Compare towns
Cape Elizabeth vs Scarborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cape Elizabeth has the most kids (26% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Cape Elizabeth | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,606Lowest |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.4±3.3Lowest 6% above ME |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
| Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
$133,558±$21kLowest 79% above ME |
| Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
$551,900±$39kLowest 86% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
$1,956±$178Lowest 72% above ME |
| Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,637Highest 152% above ME |
$5,978Lowest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 13% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 31.9%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough 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 | #1 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cape Elizabeth High School | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
11.0Highest |
| 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.