In Maine, the median household income is $74,733 and 74% of homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020 to 2024). A safe personal loan starts with a license check, three written offers compared on total cost, and a payment that fits your own budget.
On this page
- Maine by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Maine borrowers
- Largest places in Maine
- Mid-size Maine communities
- Counties with the most residents
- How Maine earns a living
- More context for Maine budgets
- Checking a lender in Maine
- Can Maine residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Maine
- Frequently asked questions
Maine by the numbers
Sixteen budget-related measures for Maine, set against the national figure and ranked from highest to lowest among the 51 jurisdictions (Census Bureau ACS, 2020 to 2024).
| What we measured | Maine | Nation | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,733 | $80,734 | 33rd |
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | 12.5% | 33rd |
| Unemployment rate (ACS) | 3.8% | 5.2% | 40th |
| Rent, median gross (monthly) | $1,139 | $1,413 | 31st |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 48% | 51% | 27th |
| Median home value | $296,600 | $332,700 | 27th |
| Homeownership rate | 74% | 65% | 2nd |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 27% | 28% | 22nd |
| Years of median income to buy the median home | 4.0x | 4.1x | 24th |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 15% | 17% | 24th |
| Working from home | 16% | 15% | 18th |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 36% | 36% | 18th |
| Age, median | 44.8 | 38.9 | 1st |
| Income inequality (Gini index) | 0.456 | 0.483 | 38th |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 22% | 21% | 18th |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 37% | 41% | 31st |
What the numbers mean for Maine borrowers
Jobs and hardship: an average 3.8% unemployment rate in the 2020 to 2024 survey, and 10.7% of people below the federal poverty line. A new job is not a deal breaker for most lenders, but a gap in income usually is.
Homeownership stands at 74% in Maine and the median owner-occupied home is worth $296,600, which ranks 27th among the 51 jurisdictions. Among owners with a mortgage, 27% spend 30 percent or more of income on housing (U.S.: 28%).
In Maine, 16% of workers work from home and 15% spend 45 minutes or more getting to work, compared with 15% and 17% nationally. Where commutes are long, a car repair is often the emergency that sends people looking for a loan; see our auto repair guide.
Typical household income: $74,733 in Maine, against $80,734 nationwide (33rd highest of 51). Medians describe the middle household, not yours, so test any payment against your own take-home pay.
Largest places in Maine
Big-city snapshot for Maine, ranked by population; a linked name means a full local guide is available.
| City or town | County | Population | Median household income | Rent (median) | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | Cumberland County | 68,854 | $79,540 | $1,577 | $489,600 |
| Lewiston | Androscoggin County | 38,324 | $55,393 | $986 | $235,100 |
| Bangor | Penobscot County | 31,938 | $59,942 | $1,055 | $219,600 |
| South Portland | Cumberland County | 26,930 | $86,838 | $1,812 | $441,200 |
| Auburn | Androscoggin County | 24,602 | $66,647 | $1,041 | $282,000 |
| Scarborough | Cumberland County | 23,215 | $133,558 | $1,956 | $551,900 |
| Biddeford | York County | 22,498 | $72,333 | $1,292 | $396,600 |
| Sanford | York County | 22,247 | $72,524 | $1,152 | $280,200 |
| Saco | York County | 20,819 | $92,241 | $1,249 | $413,100 |
| Westbrook | Cumberland County | 20,775 | $85,038 | $1,392 | $383,300 |
| Windham | Cumberland County | 19,188 | $107,934 | $1,232 | $388,900 |
| Augusta | Kennebec County | 19,077 | $47,979 | $919 | $201,000 |
Of the places the Census Bureau tracks in Maine, 17 have 10,000 or more people and 1 have 50,000 or more. The income gap between towns is wide: among places over 20,000, Scarborough has the highest median at $133,558 and Lewiston the lowest at $55,393. The highest median rent among them is $1,956 in Scarborough, the lowest $986 in Lewiston.
Mid-size Maine communities
Places ranked 13 to 32 by population.
| City or town | Residents | Median income | Rent (median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | 17,652 | $70,722 | $1,465 |
| Waterville | 17,077 | $53,580 | $978 |
| York | 13,986 | $121,250 | $1,490 |
| Wells | 11,713 | $88,024 | $1,350 |
| Orono | 11,151 | $59,784 | $1,280 |
| Brewer | 9,652 | $66,613 | $1,086 |
| Cape Elizabeth | 9,606 | $145,821 | $2,185 |
| Old Orchard Beach | 9,244 | $60,050 | $1,246 |
| Bath | 8,815 | $69,390 | $1,044 |
| Presque Isle | 8,736 | $55,768 | $904 |
| Ellsworth | 8,657 | $77,375 | $1,017 |
| Cumberland | 8,647 | $173,894 | $2,143 |
| Buxton | 8,512 | $100,144 | $1,613 |
| Waterboro | 8,055 | $89,392 | $1,200 |
| Gorham | 7,593 | $128,190 | $1,573 |
| Old Town | 7,470 | $51,585 | $989 |
| Caribou | 7,382 | $53,709 | $757 |
| Topsham | 7,271 | $100,024 | $1,491 |
| Eliot | 7,146 | $101,522 | $1,948 |
| Rockland | 7,035 | $56,533 | $1,092 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Orono (26%) and least in Gorham (15%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Of 16 counties in Maine, these 16 have the most people.
| County | Population | Median household income | Median gross rent | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 308,827 | $95,677 | $1,589 | $451,200 |
| York County | 216,731 | $88,333 | $1,339 | $395,700 |
| Penobscot County | 154,710 | $66,356 | $1,041 | $214,100 |
| Kennebec County | 126,808 | $69,077 | $992 | $238,200 |
| Androscoggin County | 113,423 | $67,873 | $1,010 | $252,800 |
| Aroostook County | 67,058 | $56,700 | $784 | $149,700 |
| Oxford County | 59,255 | $60,173 | $836 | $217,300 |
| Hancock County | 56,460 | $72,744 | $1,061 | $310,400 |
| Somerset County | 50,959 | $58,179 | $910 | $166,900 |
| Knox County | 41,003 | $74,096 | $1,165 | $324,900 |
| Waldo County | 40,192 | $72,782 | $1,021 | $257,700 |
| Sagadahoc County | 37,285 | $87,806 | $1,098 | $333,300 |
| Lincoln County | 36,099 | $76,875 | $1,055 | $332,700 |
| Washington County | 31,331 | $56,024 | $783 | $161,800 |
| Franklin County | 30,413 | $58,675 | $802 | $194,700 |
| Piscataquis County | 17,263 | $61,345 | $837 | $170,200 |
The county income gap: $95,677 at the top in Cumberland County, $56,024 at the bottom in Washington County. That spread is a reminder to size a payment to your own budget, not to a state average.
How Maine earns a living
Which sectors put Maine to work? The four biggest are below, alongside national shares.
| Industry | Share of Maine workers | National share | Gap vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 27% | 24% | +3.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 13% | 11% | +1.7 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 10% | 13% | -2.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9% | 10% | -1.0 pts |
Relative to the nation, education, health care and social assistance is overrepresented in Maine (27% vs 24%). Pay rhythm differs by industry. Shift and seasonal work swings month to month, so size a payment to your slowest normal month.
More context for Maine budgets
Housing for renters: median rent of $1,139 (31st of 51), with 48% of renting households putting 30 percent or more of income toward it. When rent rises at renewal, a fixed loan payment can collide with it, so leave room for the next increase.
In Maine, 37% of households report $100,000 or more in income and 22% report under $35,000, against 41% and 21% for the country. A wide spread like this is why one-size borrowing advice fails; size the loan to your own pay, not to the state's.
Education and age round out the picture: 36% of Maine adults have at least a bachelor's degree (U.S.: 36%), the median age is 44.8, and the Gini index is 0.456.
Checking a lender in Maine
Personal lenders that make loans to Maine residents generally need a state license or must lend through a bank. The state banking agency, listed by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, is the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions. For consumer loans specifically, Maine relies on the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection as well.
- Search the lender by name on NMLS Consumer Access to see which states it is licensed in.
- An upfront fee to "secure" a loan is a warning sign the FTC describes here.
- File any complaint with the state agency, or with the CFPB.
Can Maine residents use the questionnaire?
Not every state has a lending partner yet. Choose Maine on the location step and the questionnaire will tell you right away whether matching is open; if it is not, you can leave an email for the waitlist.
Local guides in Maine
We have not published a city guide for Maine yet. Use the search on our local guides page to find your town; it will point you here or to the nearest guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a lender in Maine?
Start with the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions, Maine's banking agency in the CSBS directory. Consumer lending is also overseen by the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection. Many lenders' state licenses also appear on NMLS Consumer Access, and the CFPB takes complaints nationwide.
How much does a typical Maine household earn?
$74,733 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 33rd among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
How much do Maine renters pay?
$1,139 a month at the median, 31st of 51. 48% of Maine renters are cost-burdened, against 51% nationwide.
What share of Maine households earn $100,000 or more?
37% of households, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, while 22% earn under $35,000. Lenders look at your own documented income, not these shares.