What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Dalton has the most homeowners (70.7%).

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	Dalton
People
Population	22,498Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Dalton 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%	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.	$79,438±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
	Dalton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,600±$25kHighest 19% above U.S.	$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Highest 9% below U.S.	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Highest 41% above U.S.	$4,276Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton and Biddeford 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%	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1957Highest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 10% below U.S.	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Biddeford and Dalton 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	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Biddeford High School	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.