Compare towns
Biddeford vs Unity vs Saco
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).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($207k median).
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
1,858Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6 22% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Biddeford 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,249±$385 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Unity 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.