Compare towns
Bangor 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 oldest population (median age 41).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Bangor | Waterville | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
17,077Lowest |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 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 | #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 |
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.