Population 22,832 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Scarborough
Household size in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Scarborough are small: just 2.32 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.56, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.0 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.7 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.4 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Scarborough skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.0, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.3% of households in Scarborough, well below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Maine cities, Scarborough has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Scarborough
Renters in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.3% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
Scarborough is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly four in ten owners (38.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.3 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Scarborough is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Maine as a whole (16.4%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 |
Scarborough has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south. Only one other Maine city with 5,000+ people has newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,186 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,141 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,179 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,102 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$915 | +$464 | +$606 |
Rent in Scarborough runs $2,102 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $915 a month since 2006–10, up 77%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Scarborough
Bachelor's degrees in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.5% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.7% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.3% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.9 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Scarborough: 57.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 12.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.3% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.6% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.8% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Scarborough: 98.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.5 points, mirroring the country. Only two of the 56 Maine cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Scarborough
| Period | Scarborough | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.1% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Scarborough has been strong: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Scarborough compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarborough | 2.32 | 50.4 | 7.3% | 22.5% | 10.9% | 1990 | $2,102 | 57.3% | 98.8% | 2.5% |
| Old Orchard Beach | 1.76 | 57.4 | 4.7% | 31.8% | 25.8% | 1978 | $1,190 | 43.3% | 97.4% | 7.8% |
| South Portland | 2.21 | 42.2 | 5.9% | 41.8% | 5.8% | 1964 | $1,760 | 50.6% | 95.5% | 2.7% |
| Cash Corner | 2.66 | 48.1 | 7.9% | 19.7% | 2.4% | 1966 | $2,004 | 58.0% | 99.7% | 6.2% |
| Cape Elizabeth | 2.56 | 47.4 | 5.0% | 11.5% | 7.9% | 1967 | $2,005 | 74.1% | 99.2% | 2.5% |
| Saco | 2.37 | 44.8 | 5.5% | 26.8% | 8.8% | 1979 | $1,335 | 42.7% | 96.3% | 2.2% |
| Westbrook | 2.33 | 40.2 | 9.5% | 36.2% | 6.5% | 1971 | $1,529 | 40.6% | 96.4% | 2.4% |
| Portland | 2.10 | 39.0 | 7.3% | 53.7% | 8.4% | 1955 | $1,590 | 59.6% | 96.5% | 4.0% |
| Buxton | 2.57 | 48.9 | 5.9% | 11.0% | 15.7% | 1978 | $1,752 | 37.1% | 98.4% | 4.0% |
| Biddeford | 2.32 | 37.7 | 9.6% | 49.4% | 12.4% | 1962 | $1,422 | 33.3% | 95.0% | 3.0% |
| Gorham | 2.46 | 37.6 | 8.0% | 20.4% | 3.9% | 1987 | $1,712 | 44.4% | 98.1% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rocky Hill, CT · Mineola, NY · Montclair, VA · Montgomery, IL · Mooresville, IN · Mountain Home, ID · Mukilteo, WA · Neptune, NJ · New Hope, MN · Park Forest, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Scarborough. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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