Health · Biddeford

Biddeford, ME health

Biddeford differs from Maine on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with diabetes (9.7% vs 11.2%) and fewer adults with heart disease (6.6% vs 7.6%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults seeing a dentist (60.9% vs 63.8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Biddeford
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Biddeford’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Biddeford is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns and 63% of Maine towns.

B-Self-rated healthBPhysical distressDMental distressB+ObesityA-DiabetesB-SmokingB+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 58%
Less healthyHealthier
Maine towns we grade (276)Healthier than 63%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$90K (9,729)Healthier than 71%

About what its income would suggest. Biddeford does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Biddeford could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Maine ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Biddeford with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Biddeford uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Biddeford compares with Maine

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Biddeford adults…

33 of every 100 Biddeford adults have high blood pressure
Maine: 36 in 100 · better · margin 30–34.9%

Bars show Biddeford; the black tick is Maine. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Biddeford, betterBiddeford, worseToo close to callMaine
Get no exerciseshare of adults 22.5% Biddeford
ME 23.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.8% Biddeford
ME 32.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.9% Biddeford
ME 15.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.8% Biddeford
ME 14.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Biddeford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.

79%
Yearly checkup
ME 81%
61%
Dentist visit
ME 64%
84%
Cholesterol check
ME 87%
69%
Colon screening
ME 71%
79%
Mammogram
ME 80%
75%
Taking BP meds
ME 76%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Biddeford 8.4% · Maine 1 in 13 (7.8%)
Mind & connection

How Biddeford adults are doing

1 in 3Biddeford adults feel lonely
33.2% · Maine 32% · too close to call
1 in 4Biddeford adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.6% · Maine 26.9% · too close to call
1 in 4Biddeford adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · Maine 22.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Biddeford adults are in frequent mental distress
19.6% · Maine 17.7% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 8
Biddeford adults worry about having enough food
11.9% · ME 10.7% · about the same
1 in 9
Biddeford adults worry about keeping their housing
11% · ME 9.8% · about the same
1 in 12
Biddeford adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.3% · ME 7.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Biddeford adults lack reliable transportation
8.9% · ME 7.8% · about the same

15.8% of Biddeford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.

Disability

Living with a disability

33.1%

of Biddeford adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.6%
Thinking or memory18.1%
Hearing7.6%
Errands alone8.5%
Vision4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.4%

Black tick: Maine. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Biddeford

Biddeford and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Biddeford.

Saco: 32.4% Kennebunkport: 32.3% Dayton: 33.7% Old Orchard Beach: 33.9% Scarborough: 25.3% Buxton: 32.5% Kennebunk: 31% Arundel: 32.3% Hollis: 34.5% Lyman: 34% Biddeford: 33.7% Biddeford Saco Kennebunkport Dayton Mainehealth Maine Medical Center · Portland · 15.9 mi · 4★ MedicareH Northern Light Mercy Hospital · Portland · 16.1 mi · 4★ MedicareH Nasson Health Care - Biddeford · Biddeford · 5 mi+ Greater Portland Health at 100 Brickhill Avenue · South Portland · 14.4 mi+
25.3%34.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#7 of 11towns on this map, healthiest first
Kennebunkport32.3%
Saco32.4%
Biddeford33.7%
Dayton33.7%
6 places to get careNearest ER 15.9 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Biddeford

1 community health center in Biddeford, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERMainehealth Maine Medical CenterPortland · 15.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorthern Light Mercy Hospital★★★★★ · 16.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNasson Health Care - BiddefordBiddeford · 5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5 mi
Nasson Health Care - Biddeford
Biddeford · community health center
Sliding-scale feesIn Biddeford
14.4 mi
Portland Community Health Center
7 sites · nearest in South Portland
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.9 mi
Mainehealth Maine Medical Center
Portland · ★★★★★
ER
16.1 mi
Northern Light Mercy Hospital
Portland · ★★★★★
ER
24.2 mi
York Hospital
York · ★★★★★
ER
28.8 mi
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
Dover · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careBiddeford is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careBiddeford is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthBiddeford is not a shortage area

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Biddeford. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Biddeford
MeasureBiddefordMarginMaine
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure32.5%30–34.9%35.7%better
High cholesterol34.2%31.6–36.7%37.4%better
Obesity33.7%29.7–37.7%32.7%about the same
Arthritis28.2%26.1–30.3%32%better
Depression27.6%24.9–30.3%26.9%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)14.1%11.8–16.7%14.8%about the same
Asthma13.4%12.1–14.8%12.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.7%8–9.5%9.9%better
Diabetes9.7%8.6–10.9%11.2%better
COPD7.9%7.1–8.7%8.4%about the same
Heart disease6.6%6–7.2%7.6%better
Stroke3.2%3–3.5%3.6%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.8%12.9–16.7%14.4%about the same
Binge drink17.9%15.5–20.3%15.5%about the same
Get no exercise22.5%19.8–25.2%23.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.8%29.1–36.6%32.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.8%76–81.3%81.2%about the same
Dentist visit60.9%57.9–63.7%63.8%worse
Cholesterol check84.2%82.2–86%87.1%worse
Colon screening68.5%64.9–71.9%70.5%about the same
Mammogram78.5%73.3–83%80.3%about the same
Taking BP meds75%72.5–77.3%76.4%about the same
No health insurance8.4%7.2–9.9%7.8%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.2%30–36.4%32%about the same
Lack emotional support23.1%20.6–25.7%22.7%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.6%17.6–21.5%17.7%about the same
Fair or poor health19%16.9–20.9%18.7%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.4%12–14.8%14.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity11.9%10.2–13.7%10.7%about the same
Housing insecurity11%9.5–12.6%9.8%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.3%7.2–9.4%7.4%about the same
No reliable transportation8.9%7.8–10%7.8%about the same
Receive SNAP15.8%13.7–17.9%14.3%
Disability
Any disability33.1%30.1–36%32.1%
Walking or climbing stairs12.6%11.2–14%14%
Thinking or memory18.1%16.2–20%15.5%
Hearing7.6%6.9–8.4%8.4%
Vision4.4%4–4.8%4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.4%3.1–3.8%3.5%
Errands alone8.5%7.5–9.4%8.1%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Biddeford door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Maine figure falls inside it, we don't call Biddeford better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Biddeford directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01