What stands out worked out from the figures below

Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Biddeford	Windham
People
Population	22,498Highest	16,038Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.	41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.1%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Biddeford and Windham 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 U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#111 of 133 in ME	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Biddeford Public Schools	Windham School District
High school in town	Biddeford High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.