Compare towns
Scarborough vs Brewer vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Gorham has the most homeowners (81.5%).
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 | Brewer | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
9,652Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Scarborough and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
| Scarborough and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
| Scarborough and Gorham 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 |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Scarborough 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough and Gorham 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Brewer High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
14.0Highest |
12.9 |
| 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.