What stands out worked out from the figures below

Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).

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	Lyme
People
Population	22,498Highest	1,710Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.	48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lyme and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.	$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S.	$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S.	$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average
	Lyme and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lyme and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 10% below U.S.	21 minLowest 21% below U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#111 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	Lyme School District
High school in town	Biddeford High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.