Compare towns
Biddeford vs Lewiston vs Lisbon
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 expensive homes ($397k median).
Lewiston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Lisbon has the most homeowners (74.8%).
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 | Lewiston | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
38,324Highest |
9,750Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
38.4±2.9Highest 14% below ME |
| Lisbon and Lewiston 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% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lewiston 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME |
| Lisbon and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
$3,324 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Lewiston High School | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Lowest |
14.7 |
15.8Highest |
| 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.