What stands out worked out from the figures below

Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).

Hampden has the most homeowners (85.7%).

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	Hampden
People
Population	22,498Highest	7,896Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME	41±2.9Highest 8% below ME
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4%	17.2%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hampden 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%Lowest ME: 36.2%	45.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	5.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME	$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME	$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME	$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME
	Biddeford and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Highest 45% above ME	$3,694Lowest 22% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Highest ME: 48.4%	22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Biddeford and Hampden 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%	7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	85.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 4% below ME	23 minLowest 7% below ME
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hampden 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	#6 of 133 in ME
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	RSU 22
High school in town	Biddeford High School	Hampden Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.