Living in Cape Elizabeth, ME

Cumberland County

Cape Elizabeth is genuinely one of Maine's most affluent towns, a coastal Cumberland County suburb of Portland carrying a real median household income of $145,821. The town is home to Portland Head Light -- completed in 1791, Maine's oldest lighthouse, sitting within Fort Williams Park and genuinely one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States -- alongside Two Lights State Park's rocky headland and Crescent Beach State Park's genuine mile-long sand beach. Cape Elizabeth High School ranked #1 of 119 Maine high schools per SchoolDigger's 2024-25 ranking (#2 per Niche), with the Cape Elizabeth Public Schools district itself ranked 3 of 176 Maine districts. Cape Elizabeth's population runs genuinely older than even Maine's own oldest-in-the-nation statewide profile -- a median age of 47.4, the oldest of this project's five current Maine Tier B markets, and a senior (65+) population share cited at approximately 23.54% (with a separate, disclosed but not independently corroborated 40% figure also surfaced this pass). Housing runs genuinely expensive (Zillow's $837,792 typical home value, more than double the national comparison figure), while Cape Elizabeth's confirmed FY2025 property tax rate (1.10% effective) runs almost exactly at Maine's own statewide anchor -- though a real, disclosed FY2026 increase was pending at this pass's research cutoff.

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Housing

Median sale price$843,000

Taxes

Local effective property tax rate1.10%

Not independently sourced at the Cumberland County level this session. Maine's top state income tax rate is 7.15%. See the Maine hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Cape Elizabeth-specific.

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The tradeoffs

Pros

Genuinely elite schools: Cape Elizabeth High School ranked #1 of 119 Maine high schools (SchoolDigger, 2024-25), with the district ranked 3 of 176 statewide. Real, iconic coastal landmarks (Portland Head Light, Two Lights State Park, Crescent Beach State Park's genuine sand beach). An exceptionally favorable crime rate -- lower than 88% of US communities and nearly 94% of Maine's own communities. Genuine, close proximity to Portland's job market and to MaineHealth Maine Medical Center. Maine's real, substantial retiree tax advantages apply directly given Cape Elizabeth's own genuinely retiree-heavy population.

Cons

A real, disclosed housing-price spread across sources (Zillow's $837,792 typical value vs. Movoto's $1.13M July 2026 median list price) and a substantial premium over the national comparison figure either way. A real, disclosed timing gap in Cape Elizabeth's FY2026 property tax rate -- a proposed 4.85%-4.9% increase was reported in March 2025 news coverage, but this pass did not confirm the finalized new mill rate. A real, disclosed gap in Cape Elizabeth-specific homeowners-insurance and FEMA flood-zone data this pass, notable given the town's genuine, direct oceanfront exposure.

Who this fits

Best for: Best fits families prioritizing genuinely elite public schools (Cape Elizabeth High School's #1 Maine ranking) and retirees drawn to the town's substantially older population, Maine's real retiree tax advantages, and genuine proximity to top-ranked healthcare -- alongside beach lovers drawn to Crescent Beach State Park's real, genuine sand beach.

Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers seeking Maine's lowest housing costs -- Cape Elizabeth's housing runs genuinely, substantially above national norms across every cited source. Those needing a firm, finalized current property tax figure should also confirm Cape Elizabeth's FY2026 mill rate directly with the town, given this record's disclosed timing gap around a proposed FY2026 increase.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.