Compare towns
Biddeford vs Belfast vs Westbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Biddeford | Belfast | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
6,986Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
37.4±1 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook 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% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Biddeford and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Westbrook and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$4,005Lowest 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 71 | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Belfast Area High School | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
12.0 |
| 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.