Compare towns
Scarborough vs Upton vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($461k 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 | Upton | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
8,189Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Scarborough and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scarborough and Upton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21k 65% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kLowest 39% above U.S. |
| Upton and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $551,900±$39k 66% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S. |
| Upton and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 38% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Scarborough and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978 92% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scarborough and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Blackstone Valley | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.