Compare towns
Scarborough vs Ogunquit vs Topsham vs Kittery
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).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% 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 | Ogunquit | Topsham | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,706 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9 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% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
46%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 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 |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% 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 |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
— | $1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,716±$224 51% above ME |
| Scarborough and Kittery 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 |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #35 of 133 in ME | — | #66 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | — | Mt Ararat High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
— | 12.2Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.