Compare towns
Scarborough vs North Berwick vs Saco
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%).
North Berwick has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Saco has the most renters (27.2% rent).
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 | North Berwick | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
5,129Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.6±4.7Lowest 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Scarborough and Saco 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% |
21.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| North Berwick and Saco 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% |
20.9%±5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Scarborough and North Berwick 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% |
29%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco 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 |
$101,875±$16k 36% above ME |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME |
| Scarborough and North Berwick 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 |
$428,500±$33k 44% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,105±$116Lowest about the ME average |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$3,735Lowest 23% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
66.2%±28.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| North Berwick 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% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough and Saco 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 | #82 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Noble High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
12.0Highest |
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| 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.