Compare towns
Scarborough vs Kennebunk vs Topsham
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%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Kennebunk | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
11,820 |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Scarborough 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% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Scarborough 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 |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Scarborough and Kennebunk 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 |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Topsham 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% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 21 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Kennebunk High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.6 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.