Compare towns
Belfast vs Biddeford vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Belfast | Biddeford | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Lowest |
22,498Highest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Saco and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Biddeford and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Lowest 37% above ME |
$4,401 45% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco 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 | #84 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | Biddeford Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.1Highest |
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| 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.