We all know that living in Maine is something special. Between the natural beauty, cultural events and access to great food there’s no other place we’d rather be. But, at times life here can feel expensive. Especially if you live in the areas in and surrounding the larger cities. While there’s no denying that living in Maine can be expensive, there’s good news! If you’re willing to explore, there are places that are fairly affordable. Using a mix of recent U.S. Census data plus the cost of living, home prices, and recent crime statistics HomeSnacks has ranked them for us.
- Caribou, Aroostook County
City of Caribou, Maine / Facebook Coming in at #1 is one of the more off-the-beaten-path locations, Caribou. The population is about 7,800 and the median income is just under $40,000. If you’re looking to buy a home, expect to pay around $89,400, which is the average for the town.
- Gardiner, Kennebec County
dougtone / Flickr Gardiner is near Augusta, making it a convenient place to live if you work in the state’s capital. The population is about 5,600. In 2018 it was ranked #1, but it now takes the #2 spot. The average income is about $47,000 and the average home cost comes in at $137,400. That feels like quite a jump from Caribou!
- Brewer, Penobscot County
lawrence_evil / Flickr The population of Brewer hovers around 9,000, but it’s a close-knit community of Mainers! The median income is around $56,000 and the average home price is $159,900. Brewer came in at #5 in 2018, which means this place is getting more affordable.
- Presque Isle, Aroostook County
zabethanne / Flickr Another of the most off-the-beaten-path towns, little Presque Isle is beloved by those who grew up here. The median income is about $37,000, while the average home price is just above $100,000.
- Auburn, Androscoggin Country
dougtone / Flickr Often talked about in the same sentence as Lewiston, this former mill city is an important part of the county’s economics. The average income here is about 48,000 and the median home price is just over $150,000.
- Calais, Washington County
dougtone / Flickr First of all, before you consider moving here you’ll need to remember that it’s not pronounced like the same city in France. Think about this more like the rough part of your hand after some hard work. Regardless of pronunciation, homes here average about $91,000 which median income is around $35,000.
- Belfast, Waldo County
dougtone / Flickr Belfast is also known as “Moonbat Kingdon” and we love it for that. Head here for quirky art and shops. But it’s also got a median income of about $60,000 with an average home price of around $200,000. This town came in at 20 last year, so it’s rank today is pretty impressive!
- Lewiston, Androscoggin County
pavdw / Flickr With a population of 36,211, Lewiston is the largest city in Maine. It’s larger than Portland which people often find surprising. The median income here is about $40,000 and a home averages about $140,000.
- Waterville, Kennebec County
romanboed / Flickr Home to Colby College, Waterville is home to some a good amount of college kids. This year the town has moved up 5 places to come in at #9 most affordable place to live in Maine. The median income is about $37,000 and the average home price is around $130,000.
- Augusta, Kennebec County
dougtone / Flickr And, last but certainly not least, is our state’s capital! Augusta has a population of nearly 19,000. The median income is $40,000 and the average home price is about $142,000.
We’re all exploring Maine on a budget, so be sure to check out these 10 awesome things you can do for under $10.
City of Caribou, Maine / Facebook
Coming in at #1 is one of the more off-the-beaten-path locations, Caribou. The population is about 7,800 and the median income is just under $40,000. If you’re looking to buy a home, expect to pay around $89,400, which is the average for the town.
dougtone / Flickr
Gardiner is near Augusta, making it a convenient place to live if you work in the state’s capital. The population is about 5,600. In 2018 it was ranked #1, but it now takes the #2 spot. The average income is about $47,000 and the average home cost comes in at $137,400. That feels like quite a jump from Caribou!
lawrence_evil / Flickr
The population of Brewer hovers around 9,000, but it’s a close-knit community of Mainers! The median income is around $56,000 and the average home price is $159,900. Brewer came in at #5 in 2018, which means this place is getting more affordable.
zabethanne / Flickr
Another of the most off-the-beaten-path towns, little Presque Isle is beloved by those who grew up here. The median income is about $37,000, while the average home price is just above $100,000.
Often talked about in the same sentence as Lewiston, this former mill city is an important part of the county’s economics. The average income here is about 48,000 and the median home price is just over $150,000.
First of all, before you consider moving here you’ll need to remember that it’s not pronounced like the same city in France. Think about this more like the rough part of your hand after some hard work. Regardless of pronunciation, homes here average about $91,000 which median income is around $35,000.
Belfast is also known as “Moonbat Kingdon” and we love it for that. Head here for quirky art and shops. But it’s also got a median income of about $60,000 with an average home price of around $200,000. This town came in at 20 last year, so it’s rank today is pretty impressive!
pavdw / Flickr
With a population of 36,211, Lewiston is the largest city in Maine. It’s larger than Portland which people often find surprising. The median income here is about $40,000 and a home averages about $140,000.
romanboed / Flickr
Home to Colby College, Waterville is home to some a good amount of college kids. This year the town has moved up 5 places to come in at #9 most affordable place to live in Maine. The median income is about $37,000 and the average home price is around $130,000.
And, last but certainly not least, is our state’s capital! Augusta has a population of nearly 19,000. The median income is $40,000 and the average home price is about $142,000.
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Address: Augusta, ME 04330, USAAddress: Brewer, ME, USAAddress: Auburn, ME 04210, USAAddress: Lewiston, ME, USAAddress: Gardiner, ME, USAAddress: Belfast, ME 04915, USAAddress: Caribou, ME 04736, USAAddress: Presque Isle, ME, USAAddress: Calais, ME, USAAddress: Waterville, ME, USA
