Compare towns
Cushing vs Biddeford vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the highest household income ($84k).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Friendship has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
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 | Cushing | Biddeford | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460 |
22,498Highest |
1,213Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$75,625±$22k about the ME average |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$275,000±$56kLowest 7% below ME |
| Cushing and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,292±$100Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,370±$53 20% above ME |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 30% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Friendship and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Friendship 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1 |
— |
| 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.