Compare towns
Windham vs Biddeford vs Brewer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Windham | Biddeford | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188 |
22,498Highest |
9,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Highest 7% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
| Windham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Biddeford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Biddeford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938 30% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Biddeford Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Biddeford High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
14.1Highest |
14.0 |
| 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.