Compare towns
Waterville vs Lewiston 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).
Lewiston has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Lewiston | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077Lowest |
38,324Highest |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
37.3±1.2Highest 17% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Lewiston and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston 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% |
20% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Highest 18 yrs older than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | Lewiston High School | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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.