The 10 Best Small Towns In Maine For 2024


The best small towns in Maine are Falmouth Foreside and Kittery Point for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: January 12, 2024

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Maine. Best sururbs in Maine. Best counties in Maine.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Pine Tree State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Maine based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Maine ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Maine For 2024

  1. Falmouth Foreside
  2. Kittery Point
  3. Falmouth
  4. York Harbor
  5. South Eliot
  6. Cape Neddick
  7. Cumberland Center
  8. Camden
  9. Hampden
  10. Freeport
  11. Hallowell
  12. Thomaston
  13. North Berwick
  14. Farmingdale
  15. Wiscasset

Best Small Towns To Live In Maine Map

What’s the best small town in Maine? Falmouth Foreside is the best small town in Maine based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Falmouth Foreside, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Pine Tree State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Maine For 2024

1. Falmouth Foreside

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,022
Median Income: $190,476 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $974,523 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%

2. Kittery Point

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,017
Median Income: $121,042 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $696,426 (6th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%

3. Falmouth

Falmouth, ME

Source: Wikipedia User Magicpiano | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,620
Median Income: $112,596 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $797,511 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%

4. York Harbor

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,640
Median Income: $89,647 (11th Best)
Median Home Value: $827,499 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

5. South Eliot

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,686
Median Income: $91,457 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $649,050 (9th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%

6. Cape Neddick

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,462
Median Income: $76,701 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $908,354 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.0%

7. Cumberland Center

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,913
Median Income: $116,891 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $690,583 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%

8. Camden

Camden, ME

Source: Wikipedia User King of Hearts | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,644
Median Income: $92,857 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $627,938 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.2%

9. Hampden

Hampden, ME

Source: Wikipedia User | CC-BY-3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 4,466
Median Income: $97,019 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $321,416 (23rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%

10. Freeport

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,848
Median Income: $76,012 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $618,272 (12th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 10.7%

11. Hallowell

Hallowell, ME

Source: Wikipedia User Magicpiano | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 2,558
Median Income: $62,990 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $341,802 (19th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%

12. Thomaston

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,101
Median Income: $54,155 (33rd Best)
Median Home Value: $317,968 (24th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%

13. North Berwick

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,806
Median Income: $50,579 (38th Best)
Median Home Value: $444,597 (14th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

14. Farmingdale

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,264
Median Income: $58,709 (26th Best)
Median Home Value: $310,772 (25th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%

15. Wiscasset

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,207
Median Income: $102,792 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $338,680 (20th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Maine

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Maine possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 68 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 68, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Maine. Top of that list — Falmouth Foreside.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Maine.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Maine are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Maine are Falmouth Foreside, Kittery Point, Falmouth, York Harbor, South Eliot, Cape Neddick, Cumberland Center, Camden, Hampden, and Freeport.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Maine:

  1. Howland
  2. Rumford
  3. Norway

For more Maine reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Maine

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Falmouth Foreside, ME 2,022 $190,476 2.8%
2 Kittery Point, ME 1,017 $121,042 0.9%
3 Falmouth, ME 1,620 $112,596 3.8%
4 York Harbor, ME 3,640 $89,647 0.7%
5 South Eliot, ME 3,686 $91,457 2.6%
6 Cape Neddick, ME 2,462 $76,701 6.0%
7 Cumberland Center, ME 2,913 $116,891 4.8%
8 Camden, ME 3,644 $92,857 5.2%
9 Hampden, ME 4,466 $97,019 2.3%
10 Freeport, ME 1,848 $76,012 10.7%
11 Hallowell, ME 2,558 $62,990 0.9%
12 Thomaston, ME 2,101 $54,155 2.3%
13 North Berwick, ME 1,806 $50,579 0.7%
14 Farmingdale, ME 2,264 $58,709 2.0%
15 Wiscasset, ME 1,207 $102,792 3.3%
16 Berwick, ME 2,050 $63,199 5.0%
17 Lisbon Falls, ME 4,177 $69,013 3.9%
18 Fort Kent, ME 2,515 $57,067 2.8%
19 Winthrop, ME 2,546 $66,875 6.1%
20 West Kennebunk, ME 1,269 $90,104 14.3%
21 Searsport, ME 1,053 $59,679 13.9%
22 Bar Harbor, ME 2,154 $46,917 10.6%
23 Lake Arrowhead, ME 2,896 $80,819 1.6%
24 Damariscotta, ME 1,267 $53,571 7.6%
25 Kennebunkport, ME 1,318 $113,456 8.1%
26 Steep Falls, ME 2,087 $85,040 0.0%
27 Winterport, ME 1,100 $44,205 0.0%
28 Richmond, ME 1,835 $68,030 5.1%
29 Eastport, ME 1,211 $44,919 2.8%
30 East Millinocket, ME 1,541 $44,531 5.2%
31 Fort Fairfield, ME 1,566 $55,625 13.7%
32 Fryeburg, ME 1,503 $41,350 6.6%
33 Clinton, ME 1,436 $71,934 0.0%
34 Farmington, ME 4,318 $40,350 4.4%
35 Dexter, ME 1,745 $56,280 4.7%
36 Dixfield, ME 1,512 $52,208 1.9%
37 Waldoboro, ME 1,553 $54,345 4.0%
38 Houlton, ME 4,918 $50,625 18.6%
39 South Paris, ME 2,208 $42,321 2.8%
40 Milford, ME 2,270 $59,053 3.5%
41 Oakland, ME 2,519 $41,499 0.7%
42 Chisholm, ME 1,074 $58,750 6.3%
43 Randolph, ME 1,522 $48,654 5.6%
44 Pittsfield, ME 3,148 $42,292 1.6%
45 Mexico, ME 1,833 $35,093 2.2%
46 Newport, ME 1,485 $36,563 2.7%
47 Bucksport, ME 2,947 $48,942 8.2%
48 Livermore Falls, ME 1,765 $44,864 3.9%
49 Bridgton, ME 1,514 $56,475 8.4%
50 Limestone, ME 1,165 $36,023 2.4%
51 Dover-Foxcroft, ME 2,836 $47,764 7.1%
52 Mechanic Falls, ME 2,286 $55,986 8.7%
53 Machias, ME 1,331 $25,278 8.6%
54 Woodland, ME 1,173 $44,917 2.4%
55 Calais, ME 3,078 $45,250 9.8%
56 Madawaska, ME 2,726 $35,644 11.2%
57 Norridgewock, ME 1,099 $41,944 0.0%
58 Fairfield, ME 2,647 $34,657 4.6%
59 Millinocket, ME 4,136 $45,345 8.9%
60 Wilton, ME 1,599 $42,143 11.1%
61 Oxford, ME 1,100 $75,065 17.5%
62 Milo, ME 1,409 $51,528 2.1%
63 Madison, ME 2,100 $39,695 1.9%
64 Van Buren, ME 1,682 $34,263 1.6%
65 Lincoln, ME 2,521 $28,932 2.4%
66 Norway, ME 2,698 $38,381 7.5%
67 Rumford, ME 3,922 $35,818 6.7%
68 Howland, ME 1,126 $45,313 10.0%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns