Compare towns
South Eliot vs Harpswell vs Boothbay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Eliot has the most kids (15.2% under 18).
Harpswell has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
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 Eliot | Harpswell | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,203 |
5,046Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±8Lowest 24% above ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
56.8±3.9 27% above ME |
| Harpswell and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
| South Eliot and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.8%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Harpswell and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| South Eliot and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,600±$52k 60% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,348±$53 18% above ME |
$1,147±$121Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,442Highest 46% above ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31 ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.