Compare towns
Biddeford vs Waterville vs Auburn
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).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Auburn has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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 | Waterville | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498 |
17,077Lowest |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Waterville 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% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
| Biddeford and Auburn 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,687 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
22 min 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Waterville Senior High School | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.