What stands out worked out from the figures below

Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Biddeford	Augusta
People
Population	22,498Highest	19,077Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest ME: +2.6%	-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME	42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Augusta and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Highest ME: 36.2%	28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME	$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME	$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME	$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Highest 45% above ME	$2,465Lowest 19% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4%	49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Augusta and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	18.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	53.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME	1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 4% below ME	19 minLowest 24% below ME
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9%
	Augusta 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	#111 of 133 in ME	#119 of 133 in ME
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy
High school in town	Biddeford High School	Cony
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Lowest	17.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.