Compare towns
Biddeford vs Gray vs Old Orchard Beach 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).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Gray | Old Orchard Beach | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
8,429Lowest |
9,244 |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Gray 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±$25k 34% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Saco and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,246±$182Lowest 9% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gray and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 45% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Old Orchard Beach 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Old Orchard Beach 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #67 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 23 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Old Orchard Beach High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.5 |
7.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.