Compare towns
Scarborough vs York vs Gorham
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%).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
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 | York | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,215Highest |
13,986Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| York 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% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Gorham 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% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| York and Scarborough 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 ME: 36.2% |
53.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$121,250±$25k 62% above ME |
$112,312±$6kLowest 50% above ME |
| Scarborough and York 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 |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$460,900±$26kLowest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,490±$336Lowest 31% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
| Scarborough and Gorham 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 |
$4,658Lowest 53% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| York 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% |
5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| York 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Scarborough Public Schools | York Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Scarborough High School | York High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
9.6Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.