Compare towns
Biddeford vs Saco vs Wells
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 people working from home (19%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
20,819 |
11,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Saco and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Biddeford 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Wells 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.