Compare towns
Biddeford vs Dayton vs Kennebunkport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering BiddefordSaco
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Dayton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Kennebunkport has the most people working from home (31.6%).
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 | Dayton | Kennebunkport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
2,313Lowest |
3,684 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
59.1±5Highest 32% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
8%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
36.9%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$102,747±$30k 37% above ME |
| Dayton and Kennebunkport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
$398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$740,500±$109kHighest 150% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,429±$296Highest 25% above ME |
| Kennebunkport 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 |
$3,872Lowest 28% above ME |
$3,914 29% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.8%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton 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 ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
34 minHighest 38% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
31.6%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 133 in ME | — | #42 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1 |
— | — |
| 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.