Compare towns
Biddeford vs Bow vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Biddeford | Bow | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
8,335Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Saco and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saco and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Bow and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Saco 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Bow School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.