Compare towns
Scarborough vs Ogunquit vs Eliot 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 the highest household income ($134k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Eliot | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
1,379Lowest |
7,146 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Scarborough 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±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 |
$114,259±$56k 53% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Scarborough and Ogunquit 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
— | $1,948±$471 71% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Scarborough and Eliot 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Scarborough 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 133 in ME | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | — | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | — | 12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.