Compare towns
Biddeford vs Saco vs Scarborough
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).
Saco has the most kids (16.7% under 18).
Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Saco | Scarborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
20,819Lowest |
23,215Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+17%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME |
| Scarborough and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±2 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Scarborough 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% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
57.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Lowest 45% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
$5,978Highest 97% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Scarborough and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Scarborough 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #35 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Scarborough Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Scarborough High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.