Compare towns
Waterville vs Hampden vs Biddeford
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 affordable homes ($185k median).
Hampden has the most homeowners (85.7%).
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 | Waterville | Hampden | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077 |
7,896Lowest |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
41±2.9Highest 8% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville and Hampden 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% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Biddeford and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Biddeford 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% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Waterville 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 22 | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Hampden Academy | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
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.