Compare towns
Biddeford vs Harpswell
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 kids (15.6% under 18).
Harpswell has the oldest population (median age 62).
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 | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
5,046Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
| Harpswell and Biddeford 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 |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell 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 | — |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1 |
— |
| 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.