Compare towns
Biddeford vs Saco vs Sumner
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k 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 | Saco | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
20,819 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Saco 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Saco and Biddeford 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 |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
— |
| Biddeford and Saco 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Sumner 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 | — |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.