Compare towns
Biddeford vs Waldo 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 the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Waldo has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | Waldo | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
926Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Bangor and Waldo 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% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Bangor 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest 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±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Biddeford and Waldo 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 |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Biddeford and Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Bangor 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.