Compare towns
Biddeford vs Readfield vs Wayne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Readfield has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Readfield | Wayne | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
2,651 |
1,101Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Biddeford and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Biddeford and Readfield 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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Biddeford 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
11.5Lowest |
— | 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.