Compare towns
Biddeford vs Unity vs Westbrook
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).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
1,858Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6 22% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.4±1Highest 17% below ME |
| Westbrook and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook 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% |
18.1%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Westbrook 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% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Biddeford and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Westbrook and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Westbrook 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% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.4 |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.