Compare towns
Westbrook vs Gorham vs Scarborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has the most renters (38.8% rent).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Scarborough has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Westbrook | Gorham | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775 |
18,300Lowest |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,038±$7kLowest 14% above ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
| Scarborough and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19kLowest 29% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74Lowest 22% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% 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 | $4,005Lowest 32% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
19 min 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough and Gorham 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | Gorham High School | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
12.9Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.