Compare towns
Biddeford vs Belfast vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
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 | Biddeford | Belfast | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
6,986Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$67,679±$9k 9% 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 | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$340,900±$34k 15% 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 | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 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 | 15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1967Highest 10 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 71 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Belfast Area High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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.