Compare towns
Biddeford vs Thorndike vs Bangor
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%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 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 | Thorndike | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
1,403Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6 22% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor 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% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Thorndike and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,537Lowest 16% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Mt View High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
11.7Lowest |
13.3 |
| 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.