Compare towns
York vs Scarborough vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | York | Scarborough | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,986 |
23,215Highest |
9,706Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±2.7 9% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| York and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest 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+ | 53.1% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Scarborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,250±$25k 62% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% 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 | $636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$551,900±$39k 86% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,490±$336 31% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Scarborough and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,658 53% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
$4,259Lowest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest 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 | 5.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | York Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | York High School | Scarborough High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.0 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.