Compare towns
Auburn vs Bangor vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
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 | Auburn | Bangor | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602 |
31,938Highest |
22,498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Auburn and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
| Biddeford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 23 yrs older than ME |
1954Highest 23 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford and Auburn 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 | #110 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Bangor High School | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
13.3 |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.