Compare towns
Scarborough vs Buxton 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%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Buxton | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
8,512Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Scarborough and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest 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+ | 57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$100,144±$21kLowest 34% above 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 |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,613±$266Lowest 42% above 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 |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.