Compare towns
Lewiston vs Cornish vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lewiston has the most affordable homes ($235k median).
Cornish has the most homeowners (82.1%).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k 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 | Lewiston | Cornish | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,803Lowest |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
39±8.5Highest 13% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Cornish and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lewiston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
| Biddeford and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Biddeford and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899 5% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford and Lewiston 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | — | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | — | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 14.1Lowest |
| 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.