Compare towns
Scarborough vs Cape Elizabeth
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%).
Cape Elizabeth has the most kids (26% 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 | Cape Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
9,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
47.4±3.3Lowest 6% 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 | 16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.7%±4.2Highest 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+ | 57.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest 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 | $133,558±$21kLowest 79% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% 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 | $551,900±$39kLowest 86% above ME |
$731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Lowest 72% above ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% 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 | $5,978Lowest 97% above ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9Lowest 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 | 4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
21 minHighest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6Highest 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 | #35 of 133 in ME | #1 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Cape Elizabeth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| 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.