Compare towns
Biddeford vs Mapleton vs Westbrook vs Bangor
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 youngest population (median age 35).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Westbrook | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,498 |
1,884Lowest |
20,775 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
37.4±1 17% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bangor 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Westbrook 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Mapleton 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Bangor 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Westbrook 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Biddeford and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Westbrook 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Westbrook 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Westbrook Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Westbrook High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.