Families
Best Towns for Families in Southern Maine
Schools, recreation, and a manageable commute do most of the work for families considering Southern Maine. These towns combine top-rated public districts with family housing you can actually find.
What relocating families prioritize
After hundreds of relocation conversations, three priorities show up in nearly every shortlist: a public school district they trust, a yard or trail network within walking distance, and a commute to Portland that doesn't dominate the day. Southern Maine delivers all three in a handful of towns — but the right pick depends on whether you want a true downtown, a beach a few minutes away, or lake-and-trail living.
Districts that get cited most
Scarborough (SBSD) and Kennebunk (RSU 21) anchor the high-end family conversation. Saco's Thornton Academy is a regional draw with a meaningful endowment and broad programming. Gorham benefits from the University of Southern Maine. South Portland delivers in-town living with strong schools and ten minutes to Maine Med. Windham (RSU 14) offers lakefront family living within commute range.
- •Scarborough — premier suburban schools; new family inventory
- •Kennebunk — RSU 21, walkable Lower Village, three beaches
- •Saco — Thornton Academy, historic + new-build family homes
- •Gorham — strong schools, college-town energy, capes/colonials
- •Windham — RSU 14, lake-access neighborhoods, room to grow
- •South Portland — fast Portland commute, waterfront access
Town shortlist
Where this plays out, town by town.
Cumberland County
Scarborough
Premier family district, beaches, 15-min Portland.
Explore Scarborough
York County
Saco
Thornton Academy, downtown, train to Boston.
Explore Saco
Cumberland County
Gorham
USM nearby, family-priced inventory.
Explore Gorham
Cumberland County
Windham
RSU 14, Sebago Lake recreation.
Explore Windham
York County
Kennebunk
RSU 21, beaches, walkable village.
Explore Kennebunk
Cumberland County
South Portland
Ten-minute Portland commute.
Explore South PortlandFAQ
Questions buyers ask Bill
Keep reading
More from the relocation guide
Every chapter of the Moving to Southern Maine guide — interlinked so you can shortlist towns the way buyers actually do.
Cost of Living
Cost of Living in Southern Maine (2026)
Southern Maine is more affordable than coastal Massachusetts on almost every household line item — but the housing range is wide, and the towns you shortlist will swing your monthly number more than any other variable.
Read chapterBeach Towns
Best Beach Towns in Southern Maine
Southern Maine's beach corridor runs from York up through Scarborough — soft sand, working harbors, and year-round villages that don't board up after Labor Day. Here's how the serious buyer's shortlist actually breaks down.
Read chapterCommuters
Best Commuter Towns Near Portland, Maine
Portland is the gravitational center of Southern Maine — Maine Medical, the Jetport, the Old Port, Idexx, WEX, and a deep professional-services bench. These towns deliver real housing value with manageable commutes.
Read chapterRetire Here
Retiring in Southern Maine
Southern Maine has quietly become one of the East Coast's strongest retirement destinations. Walkable downtowns, the Atlantic, low crime, and MaineHealth's Maine Medical Center draw retirees from across the Northeast.
Read chapterMA → ME
Moving from Massachusetts to Maine
More than half of the relocation buyers Bill works with come from Massachusetts. The trade is usually clear: lower cost, more space, and a coast that still feels like a coast — in exchange for snow and a longer drive to Logan.
Read chapterTaxes
Property Taxes in Southern Maine
Property tax in Maine is set municipally. Each town establishes a mill rate — dollars of tax per $1,000 of assessed value — based on its budget and the certified ratio of assessed to market value. Rates vary materially across Southern Maine.
Read chapterWinter
Winter Living in Southern Maine
The most common Massachusetts question is also the easiest one to answer: yes, winter is real, and no, it's not what you think. Coastal Southern Maine is meaningfully milder than inland New England — the Atlantic moderates everything.
Read chapterMap a family-first relocation shortlist.
Bill Barbin at Keller Williams has helped hundreds of relocation buyers shortlist Southern Maine towns and write winning offers. Start a real conversation — no pressure.