Compare towns
Biddeford vs Ogunquit vs Freeport 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 the most renters (51.9% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% 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 | Ogunquit | Freeport | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,802 |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
— | $1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Freeport and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 45% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Waterville 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 133 in ME | — | #4 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | — | RSU 05 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | — | Freeport High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.