Compare towns
Biddeford vs Standish vs Gorham
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).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Standish | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
10,662Lowest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
40.5±2.8Highest 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
| Standish and Gorham 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% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gorham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Gorham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$336,000±$18kLowest 13% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham 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 |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Gorham 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Biddeford 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.5Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.