Compare towns
Biddeford vs Concord vs Waterville
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Concord has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Concord | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
44,375Highest |
17,077Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
40.7±1.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5 9% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Concord 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Concord and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 10% below U.S. |
$84,902±$5kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$350,900±$13k 5% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
$1,441±$43Highest about the U.S. average |
$978±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$7,227Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterville and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Concord High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
13.0 |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.