What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells	Biddeford
People
Population	11,713Lowest	22,498Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest ME: +2.6%	+6%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME	35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%	15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Wells and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%	17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.3%Highest ME: 36.2%	32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME	$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME	$396,600±$25kLowest 34% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME	$1,292±$100Lowest 13% above ME
	Wells and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 6% above ME	$4,401Highest 45% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4%	37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Wells and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 12% above ME	24 minLowest 4% below ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%	14.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME	#111 of 133 in ME
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Biddeford Public Schools
High school in town	Wells High School	Biddeford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	14.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.