Compare towns
Biddeford vs Durham vs Lewiston
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).
Durham has the highest household income ($112k).
Lewiston has the most affordable homes ($235k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
10,681Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35±2.6 10% below U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
37.3±1.2Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Lewiston and Biddeford 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lewiston and Biddeford 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 10% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$55,393±$4kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 19% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$235,100±$8kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$986±$44Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Durham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$2,899Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Lewiston 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% |
12.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | — | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | — | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.