Compare towns
Biddeford vs Meredith vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Meredith | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
6,758Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Saco 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Saco and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
| Biddeford and Saco 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. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Meredith 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Saco 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.