What stands out worked out from the figures below

Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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	Exeter
People
Population	22,498Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Exeter 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%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S.	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter 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	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Biddeford High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	59 photos →

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.