Compare towns
Biddeford vs Strong vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Strong has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Lewiston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Strong | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
1,249Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.