Compare towns

Scarborough vs North Windham

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 Windham has the most affordable homes ($343k 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.

MeasureScarboroughNorth Windham
People
Population
23,215Highest
5,417Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+17%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+7.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
48.8±2.7Highest
9% above ME
42±3Lowest
6% below ME
Kids under 18
16.6%±2
ME: 18.1%
16.6%±4.1
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
24.7%±2.4Highest
ME: 22.4%
18.4%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
57.7%Highest
ME: 36.2%
37%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7%±1.3Highest
ME: 5.8%
4.4%±2.9Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Scarborough and North Windham 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
$88,522±$8kLowest
18% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$551,900±$39kHighest
86% above ME
$342,800±$29kLowest
16% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,956±$178Highest
72% above ME
$1,248±$604Lowest
10% above ME
Scarborough and North Windham 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
$3,546Lowest
17% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.9%±13.1Highest
ME: 48.4%
30.7%±14.3Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Scarborough and North Windham 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%
6.1%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
77.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
80.1%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1980Lowest
3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
21% below ME
26 minHighest
7% above ME
Work from home
24.6%±4.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
20.9%±6.9Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Scarborough and North Windham 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 —
School district Scarborough Public Schools —
High school in town Scarborough High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.0
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.