Compare towns
Appleton vs Biddeford vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Appleton | Biddeford | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
22,498Highest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Biddeford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Biddeford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.