Compare towns
Eliot vs Kennebunk vs Scarborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Eliot | Kennebunk | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
11,820 |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
48.8±2.7Lowest 9% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 36% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
| Scarborough and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$487,700±$21kLowest 64% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
| Scarborough and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 71% above ME |
$1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
| Scarborough and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 50% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.