What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Ossipee has the most homeowners (82%).

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	Ossipee
People
Population	22,498Highest	4,521Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.	50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Ossipee 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%	26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.	$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S.
	Ossipee 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 19% above U.S.	$325,500±$23kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S.	$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S.
	Ossipee and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401 41% above U.S.	$4,401 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.	33 minHighest 27% above U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#111 of 133 in ME	#100 of 120 in NH
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	Governor Wentworth Regional 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.