County housing intelligence
Maine Housing Market by County
Maine is not one housing market. Across 16 counties, the median county home value is $225,950 and the median county rent is $968/mo. The useful question is not whether Maine is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$225,950
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$968/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
16
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Maine Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Cumberland County, York County, Lincoln County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Aroostook County, Washington County, Piscataquis County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Cumberland County, York County, Knox County lead on rent, while Aroostook County, Franklin County, Washington County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Aroostook County, Piscataquis County, Somerset County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Aroostook County
$131,700
- 2. Washington County
$147,100
- 3. Piscataquis County
$153,300
- 4. Somerset County
$155,200
- 5. Franklin County
$176,700
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Aroostook County
2.4x home-value-to-income
- 2. Piscataquis County
2.8x home-value-to-income
- 3. Somerset County
2.8x home-value-to-income
- 4. Washington County
2.8x home-value-to-income
- 5. Franklin County
3.0x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Aroostook County
$736/mo
- 2. Franklin County
$759/mo
- 3. Washington County
$768/mo
- 4. Oxford County
$807/mo
- 5. Piscataquis County
$807/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Lincoln County
26.0% rent burden
- 2. Piscataquis County
26.0% rent burden
- 3. Somerset County
26.0% rent burden
- 4. Androscoggin County
28.0% rent burden
- 5. Aroostook County
28.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Hancock County
0.88% effective tax rate
- 2. Lincoln County
0.93% effective tax rate
- 3. Piscataquis County
0.97% effective tax rate
- 4. York County
1.03% effective tax rate
- 5. Franklin County
1.07% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Somerset County
$105/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Piscataquis County
$69/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Washington County
$44/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Penobscot County
$29/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Aroostook County
$-26/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Aroostook County
$54,254 income, 2.4x value-to-income
- 2. Sagadahoc County
$82,080 income, 3.7x value-to-income
- 3. Cumberland County
$92,983 income, 4.4x value-to-income
- 4. Penobscot County
$63,248 income, 3.1x value-to-income
- 5. Somerset County
$56,199 income, 2.8x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Aroostook County $131,700 home value, $54,254 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Aroostook County $131,700 home value, 1.22% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Oxford County $807/mo rent, 31.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Cumberland County $411,400 home value, $92,983 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Lowest rents
Compare Every Maine County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aroostook County | $131,700 | $736/mo | $54,254 | 2.4x | 1.22% |
| Piscataquis County | $153,300 | $807/mo | $55,234 | 2.8x | 0.97% |
| Somerset County | $155,200 | $887/mo | $56,199 | 2.8x | 1.16% |
| Washington County | $147,100 | $768/mo | $52,237 | 2.8x | 1.12% |
| Franklin County | $176,700 | $759/mo | $58,522 | 3.0x | 1.07% |
| Penobscot County | $193,800 | $997/mo | $63,248 | 3.1x | 1.26% |
| Oxford County | $192,300 | $807/mo | $57,933 | 3.3x | 1.09% |
| Androscoggin County | $232,000 | $966/mo | $67,298 | 3.4x | 1.26% |
| Kennebec County | $219,900 | $952/mo | $65,062 | 3.4x | 1.14% |
| Waldo County | $239,100 | $969/mo | $68,441 | 3.5x | 1.08% |
| Sagadahoc County | $300,200 | $1,050/mo | $82,080 | 3.7x | 1.12% |
| Hancock County | $278,400 | $1,000/mo | $69,630 | 4.0x | 0.88% |
| Knox County | $290,800 | $1,079/mo | $71,903 | 4.0x | 1.25% |
| Lincoln County | $306,200 | $1,003/mo | $72,026 | 4.3x | 0.93% |
| York County | $357,200 | $1,239/mo | $82,904 | 4.3x | 1.03% |
| Cumberland County | $411,400 | $1,492/mo | $92,983 | 4.4x | 1.11% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Maine by county?
What is the typical rent in Maine by county?
Which Maine counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.