Compare towns
South Eliot vs Biddeford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Eliot has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | South Eliot | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,203Lowest |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Biddeford and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
$396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$1,292±$100Lowest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,442Highest 46% above ME |
$4,401Lowest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.