Compare towns
Biddeford vs Waterville 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 expensive homes ($397k median).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
17,077Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
37.4±1Highest 17% below ME |
| Westbrook and Waterville 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville and Westbrook 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% 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 |
$978±$72Lowest 14% 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Westbrook 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% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook and Waterville 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 | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Biddeford Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | Waterville Senior High School | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.8 |
12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.