Compare towns
Bangor vs Ogunquit vs Waterville vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Biddeford has the youngest population (median age 35).
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 | Bangor | Ogunquit | Waterville | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
1,379Lowest |
17,077 |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
— | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
48.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | Waterville Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | — | Waterville Senior High School | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | 12.8Lowest |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.