1st Advantage MortgageLincoln County households have a median income of $76,875 and median rent of $1,055 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Lincoln County
- Work, industries and travel time in Lincoln County
- What Lincoln County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Lincoln County
- Regional comparison for Lincoln County
- The communities that make up Lincoln County
- What a median Lincoln County budget can carry
- Lincoln County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Lincoln County
- Four steps for Lincoln County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Lincoln County
- More guides for Lincoln County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Lincoln County
Roughly 36,099 residents live in Lincoln County, Maine, 13th by population among the state's 16 counties and county equivalents. It covers 456 square miles of land, or about 79 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Lincoln County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 19 Census places inside Lincoln County, Boothbay leads by population with about 3,102; 14 of the 19 are incorporated.
Work, industries and travel time in Lincoln County
Education and health care employs 24% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 12%. The sharpest difference from the state is in construction, at 11% locally and 8% for Maine. Averaged over the five survey years, 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 13% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 13% work from home. Households without a car make up 4.5% of the total (6.8% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Lincoln County workers | vs Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.3% | -3.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.0% | +3.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.9% | -0.7 pts |
| Construction | 11.2% | +3.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.2% | -0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.6% | -1.2 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
What Lincoln County households earn
At $76,875, the typical Lincoln County household income is 17% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Lincoln County | Compared with Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.7% | -0.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.5% | -0.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.7% | +2.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.2% | -1.2 pts |
Some 22% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 38% have six-figure incomes. 7.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.7%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.443 here. For a borrower in Lincoln County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Rent, home values and ownership in Lincoln County
Renters in Lincoln County pay a median of $1,055 a month, 7% below the Maine figure of $1,139. 36% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 16% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $332,700, about 4.3 times the median household income. 82% of Lincoln County households own their home and 18% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1978.
| Home costs | Lincoln County | Maine | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,055/mo | $1,139/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $332,700 | $296,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 82% | 74% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 32% | 27% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 31% | 21% | n/a |
Because most Lincoln County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Regional comparison for Lincoln County
Sagadahoc County is closest, 17 miles from center to center; the sixth, Cumberland County, is 43 miles off. Income ranges from $67,873 in Androscoggin County to $95,677 in Cumberland County; 2 of these neighbors top Lincoln County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | - | $76,875 | $1,055/mo | 82% |
| Sagadahoc County, ME | 17 mi | $87,806 | $1,098/mo | 78% |
| Knox County, ME | 24 mi | $74,096 | $1,165/mo | 79% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 32 mi | $69,077 | $992/mo | 74% |
| Androscoggin County, ME | 36 mi | $67,873 | $1,010/mo | 68% |
| Waldo County, ME | 39 mi | $72,782 | $1,021/mo | 82% |
| Cumberland County, ME | 43 mi | $95,677 | $1,589/mo | 70% |
The communities that make up Lincoln County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 19 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 72% of Lincoln County residents live in one of the 19. Edgecomb has the highest median household income on the list ($108,750) and Boothbay Harbor the lowest ($49,861), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Waldoboro ($344) and steepest in Somerville ($1,583). Live in one of these Lincoln County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boothbay | town | 3,102 | $60,320 | $1,147 | 14 mi |
| Bristol | town | 2,917 | $100,750 | $1,051 | 7 mi |
| Jefferson | town | 2,647 | $85,078 | $1,120 | 12 mi |
| Whitefield | town | 2,157 | $73,875 | $895 | 15 mi |
| Nobleboro | town | 1,906 | $100,417 | $1,099 | 8 mi |
| Dresden | town | 1,645 | $74,844 | $1,194 | 13 mi |
| Waldoboro | CDP | 1,459 | $68,895 | $344 | 10 mi |
| Edgecomb | town | 1,251 | $108,750 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Damariscotta | CDP | 1,100 | $67,647 | $930 | 2 mi |
| South Bristol | town | 1,069 | $69,211 | $1,347 | 8 mi |
| Boothbay Harbor | CDP | 1,047 | $49,861 | $721 | 11 mi |
| Bremen | town | 917 | $100,000 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Wiscasset | CDP | 898 | $90,147 | $1,135 | 8 mi |
| Somerville | town | 837 | $71,250 | $1,583 | 20 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
What a median Lincoln County budget can carry
Here is the Lincoln County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $6,406 a month: gross income for a household at the Lincoln County median
- Rent at the median, $1,055, takes 16% of that
- At 35%, room after rent is $1,187 a month
- Under a 45% cap, $2,883 total minus rent leaves $1,828
Two-income households and single earners in Lincoln County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Lincoln County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 40% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 6.6%, against 6.2% for Maine.
| Indicator | Lincoln County | All of Maine | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.4 | 44.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 40.2% | 36.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.0% | 5.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 6.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.5% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 10.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 3.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Lincoln County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.8% |
| 60+ min | 5.4% |
Before borrowing in Lincoln County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Lincoln County borrowers.
- Retirees. At a median age of 51.4, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Consolidating cards in Lincoln County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Four steps for Lincoln County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Lincoln County:
- Price the Lincoln County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Lender oversight for Lincoln County
Consumer lenders serving Lincoln County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Maine that is the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions. The Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection handles consumer-credit questions as well. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the Maine state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Lincoln County
For statewide rules and data, see the Maine guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Lincoln County household make?
About $76,875 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 3% above the Maine median.
How much is rent in Lincoln County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,055 a month; 36% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Lincoln County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Boothbay, Bristol, Jefferson, Whitefield, Nobleboro and 14 more.
Does living in Lincoln County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Lincoln County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Lincoln County?
Start with the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.