Compare towns
Biddeford vs Freeport vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k 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 | Freeport | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
8,802Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Freeport and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Freeport and Saco 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 |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Freeport and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Lowest 45% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Saco 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Saco 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 05 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.2Lowest |
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| 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.