Compare towns
Biddeford vs Dedham vs Needham 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 the most renters (51.9% rent).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Dedham | Needham | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,498 |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
17,077Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5 9% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham 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% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 10% below U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 19% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$978±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 133 in ME | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Dedham | Needham | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Dedham High | Needham High | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.