Compare towns
South Berwick vs Scarborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | South Berwick | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,670Lowest |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Scarborough and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13kLowest 33% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26kLowest 44% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Lowest 52% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
| Scarborough and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Lowest 63% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.