Compare towns
Scarborough vs Arundel vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scarborough has the highest household income ($134k).
Arundel has the most affordable homes ($421k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Scarborough | Arundel | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
4,418 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Arundel and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$101,597±$17kLowest 36% above ME |
$114,259±$56k 53% above ME |
| Scarborough and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $551,900±$39k 86% above ME |
$421,300±$62kLowest 42% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,607±$495Lowest 41% above ME |
— |
| Scarborough and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,763Lowest 24% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 133 in ME | #7 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
— | — |
| 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.