Compare towns
Addison vs Biddeford vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Addison has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Addison | Biddeford | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,045 |
22,498Highest |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±3.9Highest 21% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
| Addison and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Beals and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,524±$8kLowest 32% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
| Biddeford and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,500±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$807Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
| Biddeford and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,625Lowest 46% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Addison and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest same as ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 11% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Biddeford 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 | — | #111 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 37/MSAD 37 | Biddeford Public Schools | Beals Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.