Compare towns
Scarborough vs Kennebunk vs York
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%).
York has the most kids (21.1% 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 | Kennebunk | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
11,820Lowest |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Lowest 9% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk and York 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% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| York and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and York 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough and Kennebunk 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±$8kLowest 44% above ME |
$121,250±$25k 62% above ME |
| Scarborough and York 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 |
$487,700±$21kLowest 64% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,425±$290Lowest 25% above ME |
$1,490±$336 31% above ME |
| Scarborough and York 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 |
$4,999 65% above ME |
$4,658Lowest 53% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| York and Scarborough 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as 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%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 21 | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Kennebunk High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
11.6Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.