Compare towns
Scarborough vs Wells vs Falmouth
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Falmouth has the most expensive homes ($768k 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 | Wells | Falmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
11,713Lowest |
12,755 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
47±3.8Lowest 5% above ME |
| Wells and Scarborough 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% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±3.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Falmouth and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
72.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Falmouth 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±$21k 79% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$150,919±$24kHighest 102% above ME |
| Falmouth 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 86% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$767,500±$55kHighest 159% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178 72% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$2,120±$441Highest 86% above ME |
| Falmouth and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978 97% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$7,742Highest 155% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±9.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Wells 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% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
33.6%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Falmouth and Scarborough 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #3 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Falmouth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | Wells High School | Falmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.