Compare towns
Scarborough vs Lisbon 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%).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Gorham has the most homeowners (81.5%).
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 | Lisbon | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
9,750Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Gorham 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% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% 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 |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below 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 |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Lisbon 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% |
5.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Lowest 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | Lisbon Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Lisbon High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
15.8Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.