Compare towns
Biddeford vs Manchester
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%).
Manchester has the most homeowners (85%).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester 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 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester 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% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester 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 |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Biddeford and Manchester 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford and Manchester 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 38 |
| 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 |
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.