Compare towns
Belfast 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
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Belfast | Biddeford | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Lowest |
22,498Highest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Biddeford and Waterville 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% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Biddeford and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Biddeford and Belfast 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 |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 37% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 10 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest 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 | #84 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | Biddeford Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Biddeford High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.1Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.