Housing decision brief
Androscoggin County, ME Housing Market
Androscoggin County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
9th lowest home value out of 16 Maine counties with data | 8th lowest rent out of 16
Median home value
$232,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$966/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,268/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$302/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$966/mo is At the Maine county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.26% effective property-tax rate is 26% above Maine county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Androscoggin County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $232,000 | $225,950 | $281,900 | Near state median3% above Maine county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $966 | $968 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Maine county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,268 | $1,045 | $1,672 | 21% pressure21% above Maine county median |
Median household income | $67,298 | $66,180 | $74,755 | Near state median2% above Maine county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.26% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 26% pressure26% above Maine county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median28.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$28,658
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$12,955
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Androscoggin County is affordable. The median rent is $966/month against a median household income of $67,298, putting rent at 17.2% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Androscoggin County pay $966/month on average, compared to $1,268/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 24%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,640/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $54,343/year. With a median household income of $67,298, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Androscoggin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Androscoggin County sits 9% more expensive than Somerset County ($887/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waldo County, ME | $239,100 | $969/mo | Same-state comparison near $239,100 home value and $969/mo rent. |
| Kennebec County, ME | $219,900 | $952/mo | Same-state comparison near $219,900 home value and $952/mo rent. |
| Hancock County, ME | $278,400 | $1,000/mo | Same-state comparison near $278,400 home value and $1,000/mo rent. |
| Penobscot County, ME | $193,800 | $997/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,800 home value and $997/mo rent. |
| Lincoln County, ME | $306,200 | $1,003/mo | Same-state comparison near $306,200 home value and $1,003/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Androscoggin County
Is Androscoggin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Androscoggin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Androscoggin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Androscoggin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.