Compare towns
Waterville vs Biddeford vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Bangor has the oldest population (median age 41).
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 | Waterville | Biddeford | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Lowest |
22,498 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bangor and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Biddeford 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Biddeford High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.1Highest |
13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.