Compare towns
Biddeford vs Lewiston vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Lewiston has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Lewiston | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
38,324Highest |
17,077Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
37.3±1.2Highest 17% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Lewiston and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Lewiston High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1 |
14.7Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.