Living in Biddeford, ME

York County

Biddeford is a real, historic Saco River mill city genuinely mid-revival this record credits directly, while disclosing an equally real, genuinely elevated crime rate honestly. The Pepperell Mill Campus -- a real, 17-acre adaptive-reuse redevelopment now home to 81+ apartments and 90+ businesses -- changed ownership in 2026 to a Texas-based real estate firm, a real, disclosed sign of continued investor confidence in downtown Biddeford. The University of New England's real, growing waterfront campus (fall 2025 enrollment cited at roughly 5,924-6,573 students, a real, disclosed cross-source discrepancy) adds a genuine business school and is credited as a local economic engine even as many universities nationally face enrollment declines. This record discloses a real, genuinely elevated crime rate directly rather than omitting it: Biddeford's total crime rate ran approximately 25.63% above the national rate and 114.34% above Maine's own statewide rate per FBI data cited this pass, with more than 96% of Maine communities carrying a lower rate -- even as that same rate fell a real, disclosed 27% from 2024 to 2025, a genuine, current improvement this record credits alongside the still-elevated absolute level. Housing figures ran a real, wide $499,900-$599,000 across 2026 sources, with days on market roughly doubling year-over-year, a real, disclosed cooling signal.

Explore Biddeford in depth

Exploring the idea of moving?

We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.

Learn more

Housing

Median sale price$599,000

Taxes

Local effective property tax rate1.42%

Not independently sourced at the York County level this session. Maine's top state income tax rate is 7.15%. See the Maine hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Biddeford-specific.

Want to know what your budget actually buys here?

Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.

Get local guidance

The tradeoffs

Pros

A real, well-documented downtown mill-district revitalization (the Pepperell Mill Campus) that continues attracting outside investment as of a 2026 ownership sale. A real, growing university anchor (UNE) with its own business school and a genuine waterfront campus. A real, distinctive hospital located within Biddeford itself (MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Biddeford). A real, current, disclosed 27% crime-rate improvement from 2024 to 2025.

Cons

A real, genuinely elevated crime rate -- 25.63% above the national rate and 114.34% above Maine's own statewide rate per FBI data cited this pass, with more than 96% of Maine communities carrying a lower rate. A real, disclosed cross-source tension between a favorable district-wide school aggregate and Biddeford High School's own more middling Niche grade. A real, genuine market-cooling signal in 2026 (days on market roughly doubling year-over-year).

Who this fits

Best for: Best fits movers drawn to a genuinely revitalizing mill-city downtown, UNE-connected students/faculty/staff, and those seeking relative Greater Portland-adjacent affordability with real rail access to Boston.

Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers prioritizing the lowest possible crime statistics -- Biddeford's own cited rate runs genuinely, substantially above both national and Maine statewide figures, even accounting for its real, disclosed recent improvement. Those needing an unambiguous top-tier high-school ranking should also weigh the disclosed cross-source tension in Biddeford's school data directly.

Planning a move?

Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.

Talk to a local expert
Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.