Compare towns
Waldo vs Biddeford vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the most kids (20.2% under 18).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Waldo | Biddeford | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926Lowest |
22,498Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Biddeford and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Biddeford and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
| Biddeford and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Brooks 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.