Compare towns
Waterville vs Smithfield 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (88.9%).
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 | Smithfield | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,077 |
856Lowest |
22,498Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Biddeford and Waterville 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Biddeford and Smithfield 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 |
$2,866 6% below ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Smithfield 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waterville Public Schools | — | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Waterville Senior High School | — | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 14.1Highest |
| 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.