Compare towns
Scarborough vs Cape Elizabeth 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%).
Cape Elizabeth has the most expensive homes ($732k median).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
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 | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
9,606Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
47.4±3.3 6% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below 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% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Gorham 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% |
25.7%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21k 79% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
$112,312±$6kLowest 50% 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±$39k 86% above ME |
$731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
$460,900±$26kLowest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178 72% above ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
$1,680±$355Lowest 47% 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 | $5,978 97% above ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
$4,825Lowest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest 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 | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Cape Elizabeth High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
10.5Lowest |
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.