Population 7,618 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Houlton
Household size in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.27 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Houlton are small: just 2.25 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Maine as a whole looks much the same.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.3 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.0 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.2 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Houlton skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Houlton: 8.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Maine. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.7 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Houlton
Renters in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.1% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.5% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.1% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Houlton is about as common as it is nationally: 32.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Maine as a whole (25.7%). Among owners, 35.9% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 4.6 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Houlton than nationally: 12.8%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Even so, the rate is lower than in Maine as a whole (16.4%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Houlton is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1954 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $497 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $524 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $560 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $768 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$271 | +$464 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Houlton costs $768 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $271 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only one other Maine city with 5,000+ people has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Houlton
Bachelor's degrees in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Houlton: 22.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only four of the 56 Maine cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.3% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.0% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.0% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Houlton have finished high school (91.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in Maine as a whole (94.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Houlton
| Period | Houlton | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Houlton runs well above the national rate: 9.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. No other Maine city with 5,000+ people has higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Houlton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houlton | 2.25 | 45.2 | 8.6% | 32.1% | 12.8% | 1961 | $768 | 22.6% | 91.0% | 9.3% |
| New Limerick | 2.52 | 46.5 | 7.0% | 13.3% | 38.1% | 1980 | $702 | 13.7% | 94.5% | 5.2% |
| Littleton | 2.46 | 45.7 | 11.4% | 18.1% | 8.9% | 1969 | $774 | 18.6% | 93.3% | 4.1% |
| Cary | 2.43 | 43.8 | 18.6% | 17.4% | 12.8% | 1981 | $668 | 13.9% | 88.0% | 8.9% |
| Linneus | 2.52 | 46.7 | 7.0% | 13.5% | 38.3% | 1980 | $700 | 13.6% | 94.5% | 5.2% |
| Ludlow | 2.49 | 40.5 | 7.0% | 8.7% | 24.1% | 1987 | $894 | 17.0% | 83.3% | 3.2% |
| North Amity | 2.44 | 48.7 | 10.6% | 11.1% | 46.5% | 1987 | $738 | 17.6% | 86.7% | 7.0% |
| Smyrna Center | 2.52 | 39.5 | 7.1% | 7.1% | 23.3% | 1988 | $913 | 17.4% | 82.6% | 3.1% |
| Monticello | 2.30 | 49.3 | 5.5% | 15.7% | 33.3% | 1980 | $1,054 | 21.6% | 94.8% | 0.6% |
| Oakfield | 2.03 | 55.7 | 5.5% | 28.1% | 35.9% | 1975 | $627 | 11.2% | 92.8% | 5.0% |
| Estabrook Settlement | 2.44 | 50.6 | 6.8% | 8.4% | 60.6% | 1989 | $770 | 18.5% | 86.3% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Halifax, MA · Greenup, KY · Greenville, KY · Greenville, RI · Greenwood, MO · Grosse Pointe, MI · Guadalupe, CA · Wilton, CA · Wilmore, KY · Haiku-Pauwela, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Houlton. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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