Compare towns
Biddeford vs Rye vs Windham vs Waterville
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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Rye | Windham | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
5,611Lowest |
19,188 |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5 9% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 10% below U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rye and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 19% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$978±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterville and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Rye School District | RSU 14 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Windham High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.