Housing decision brief
Sagadahoc County, ME Housing Market
Sagadahoc County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
13th lowest home value out of 16 Maine counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 16
Median home value
$300,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,050/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,437/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$387/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 76.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.12% effective property-tax rate is 12% above Maine county median
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Sagadahoc 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. | $300,200 | $225,950 | $281,900 | 33% pressure33% above Maine county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,050 | $968 | $1,163 | 8% pressure8% above Maine county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,437 | $1,045 | $1,672 | 38% pressure38% above Maine county median |
Median household income | $82,080 | $66,180 | $74,755 | 24% favorable24% above Maine county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.12% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 12% pressure12% above Maine county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median30.00% 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
+$40,080
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$20,494
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 Sagadahoc County is affordable. The median rent is $1,050/month against a median household income of $82,080, putting rent at 15.4% of income.
Rent vs own
At $1,050/month rent versus $1,437/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $387/month cheaper , a 27% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $42,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $61,586/year. With a median household income of $82,080, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Sagadahoc County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Penobscot County where rent averages $997/month, Sagadahoc County is approximately 5% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County, ME | $290,800 | $1,079/mo | Same-state comparison near $290,800 home value and $1,079/mo rent. |
| Lincoln County, ME | $306,200 | $1,003/mo | Same-state comparison near $306,200 home value and $1,003/mo rent. |
| Hancock County, ME | $278,400 | $1,000/mo | Same-state comparison near $278,400 home value and $1,000/mo rent. |
| York County, ME | $357,200 | $1,239/mo | Same-state comparison near $357,200 home value and $1,239/mo rent. |
| Rice County, MN | $298,500 | $1,046/mo | Out-of-state peer near $298,500 home value and $1,046/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Sagadahoc County
Is Sagadahoc County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Sagadahoc County?
How much income do you need for housing in Sagadahoc County?
What should I double-check before moving to Sagadahoc County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.