Housing decision brief
Waldo County, ME Housing Market
Waldo 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.
10th lowest home value out of 16 Maine counties with data | 9th lowest rent out of 16
Median home value
$239,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$969/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,022/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$53/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
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
1.08% effective property-tax rate is 8% 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 Waldo 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. | $239,100 | $225,950 | $281,900 | 6% pressure6% above Maine county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $969 | $968 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Maine county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,022 | $1,045 | $1,672 | Near state median2% below Maine county median |
Median household income | $68,441 | $66,180 | $74,755 | Near state median3% above Maine county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.08% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 8% pressure8% 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
+$29,681
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,641
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Waldo County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $969/month in gross rent, with 28.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $969/month rent versus $1,022/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $53/month cheaper , a 5% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $43,800/year. With a median household income of $68,441, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Waldo County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Sagadahoc County where rent averages $1,050/month, Waldo County is approximately 8% less 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin County, ME | $232,000 | $966/mo | Same-state comparison near $232,000 home value and $966/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 Waldo County
Is Waldo County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Waldo County?
How much income do you need for housing in Waldo County?
What should I double-check before moving to Waldo County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.