Southern Maine · Cumberland County
Buying a Home in Scarborough, Maine: What It Really Takes
Scarborough is where southern Maine's population is actually growing. New construction gets built here in real volume, the school district pulls relocation buyers, and the town holds twenty miles of tidal marsh and beach frontage. The catch is the median: Scarborough now trades near the top of Cumberland County, and buyers looking for a starter home usually find themselves priced into Saco or Windham instead. At the current market rate (6.81%), a household income near $222,000 typically fits Scarborough’s cited median of $685,000 with ten percent down and low debts. That figure is an estimate, not an offer. Run your own with The 207 Number, which uses your inputs against Scarborough’s real mil rate.
Data as of 2024-10. Verify with the town assessor before writing an offer.
What your money buys in Scarborough
A mid-market budget in Scarborough buys either a new-build colonial in a Dunstan or Oak Hill subdivision or a resale ranch on a bigger lot in the town's older interior. Coastal neighborhoods (Higgins, Pine Point, Prouts) carry a large premium and are usually the highest per-square-foot pricing in southern Maine outside Cape Elizabeth. New construction dominates monthly listings; buyers who insist on turnkey often end up here by process of elimination. Multifamily is rare. Land is available in the interior but permitting timelines have lengthened.
Property taxes in plain English
Scarborough’s mil rate is $14.71 per $1,000 of assessed value (Maine Revenue Services Property Tax Division / town assessor, as of 2024-10). Worked example: a home assessed at $685,000 carries a gross annual tax bill of about $10,076 before any exemptions. Maine’s homestead exemption reduces taxable value by a set amount for owners who occupy the home as a primary residence, which lowers the actual bill. Assessed value is not always the same as sale price. When Scarborough does a full revaluation the two converge; between revals the gap can be significant. Ask the assessor’s office for the current assessed value on any property you are considering before you write an offer.
Neighborhoods and districts
Scarborough is functionally three towns: a coastal cottage market, a new-construction interior, and the older village along Route 1. Prices vary by pocket more than most towns in the region.
- Prouts NeckHistoric peninsula, high-end waterfront estates. A separate market from the rest of Scarborough.
- Higgins BeachSmall cottage neighborhood with a beach that draws surfers. Cottages have been trading at real single-family prices.
- Pine PointWorking waterfront, clam shacks, and cottages backing to the Scarborough Marsh. Coastal at a discount to Prouts.
- DunstanThe village center with new mixed-use around the intersection of Route 1 and Route 9. Newer construction concentrated here.
- Oak HillThe commercial spine at Route 1. Newer subdivisions on side streets, shortest commute to Portland.
Local anchors: Scarborough Marsh, Higgins Beach, Pine Point.
Commute reality
Oak Hill and Dunstan are twelve to eighteen minutes to downtown Portland off peak, longer at peak. Pine Point and Higgins Beach add another five minutes. Portsmouth NH is about forty minutes down I-95. Scarborough is served by METRO bus on Route 1 and by the Amtrak Downeaster at the small Scarborough station, which some Boston commuters use. The town's biggest commute complaint is Route 1 congestion at peak hours through Oak Hill.
Typical drive times off peak: to downtown Portland 15 min, to Portsmouth NH 40 min. Mileage-driven estimates, not a promise of a specific trip time.
Who Scarborough fits
Scarborough fits relocation families who want new construction, good schools, and beach access without owning a boat. It fits move-up buyers coming from Portland who want a yard. It does not fit first-time buyers on a tight budget; at Scarborough's median, entry into the school district usually requires either a large down payment or a two-income household. It fits second-home buyers on a specific slice of the market (Higgins and Pine Point cottages) that has been trading like year-round housing.
The 207 Number, preloaded to Scarborough
Enter your income, monthly debts, and down payment. The tool returns the highest purchase price you can carry in Scarborough at today’s market rate, using Scarborough’s real mil rate and cited median.
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Assumptions (editable)
Frequently asked questions about buying in Scarborough
What income do you need to buy in Scarborough Maine?
At the current market rate and the cited Scarborough median (around $685,000), qualifying typically requires household income in the mid six figures with ten percent down and low debts. The 207 Number returns your exact fit against Scarborough's mil rate and median.
Is Scarborough a good school district?
Scarborough consistently draws relocation families comparing it against Cape Elizabeth and Falmouth. Compare current MEA scores and district reports before writing an offer if schools are the primary driver.
How much new construction is available in Scarborough?
More than any other town in Cumberland County by unit count. Most new construction is in Dunstan Crossing, Eastern Trail corridors, and off Route 1 near Oak Hill. New-build inventory turns monthly, so check MLS the week you tour.
Do Higgins Beach and Pine Point cottages qualify for regular mortgages?
Most do as long as the property is winterized, has permanent heat, and meets appraisal condition standards. Seasonal-only camps do not qualify for conventional financing; those are a different loan conversation.
What are Scarborough property taxes?
The mil rate is shown at the top of the page. On a $685,000 home, a mil rate of $14.71 works out to about $10,080 a year before Maine's homestead exemption.
How is the commute to Portland from Scarborough?
Twelve to eighteen minutes off peak from Oak Hill, longer at peak. Scarborough is served by the Amtrak Downeaster and by METRO bus on Route 1.
Market averages shown are sourced from the named indices and updated on their published schedule. These are market averages, not an offer or commitment to lend, and not a rate available to you. Your actual rate and payment depend on your credit score, down payment, qualifying income, loan type, loan amount, property type and occupancy, loan-to-value, points, and market conditions at lock. Rates change daily and are subject to change without notice. Figures are estimates for illustration only and do not constitute loan approval, a rate lock, or a guarantee. Travis Penny | NMLS #1649161 | Equal Housing Opportunity | nmlsconsumeraccess.org
Ready to run your number for Scarborough?
Call or text 207.615.7770. Travis answers.