04073 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
04005
04073
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs65 · Top 29%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 27%
vs77 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 35%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
43 · Bottom 39%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Access
62 · Bottom 7%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 41%
vs66 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 04005 | 04073 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,772 | 17,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,647 | $72,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,052 | $38,244 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 517/sq mi | 461/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $396,000 | $282,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,291 | $1,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.5% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 63 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.4% | -44.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 41.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.02 | 14.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 71.3% | 78.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 79.7% | 77.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.0% | 53.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
04005
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
04073
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 04005 — Biddeford, ME · 04073 — Sanford, ME · How this is calculated: methodology