Population 1,387,817 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Maine
Household size in Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Maine are small: just 2.30 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. Household size has edged down from 2.37 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other state has smaller households.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Maine skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other state is older.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Maine than nationally: 8.8%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points, mirroring the country. Of the 50 states and D.C., only two have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Maine
Renters in Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Maine rent their homes (25.7%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over four in ten owners (41.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other state has a lower share of renters.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Maine: 16.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Maine has the highest vacancy rate of any state.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Maine run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$464 | +$606 |
Rent in Maine runs $1,230 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $464 a month from 2006–10, a 61% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 29.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in southwestern Maine and lowest in northeastern Maine.
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 Maine
Bachelor's degrees in Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Maine as nationally: 36.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.5 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in southwestern Maine and least in northeastern Maine.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Maine: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other state has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Maine
| Period | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Maine than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.7 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Maine compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 2.30 | 45.0 | 8.8% | 25.7% | 16.4% | 1975 | $1,230 | 36.5% | 94.8% | 3.9% |
| New Hampshire | 2.51 | 44.2 | 8.5% | 27.2% | 11.7% | 1976 | $1,597 | 41.1% | 94.5% | 3.4% |
| Vermont | 2.31 | 44.2 | 8.6% | 26.8% | 15.7% | 1973 | $1,306 | 44.6% | 94.8% | 3.5% |
| Massachusetts | 2.52 | 41.4 | 10.6% | 37.5% | 7.9% | 1963 | $1,860 | 47.2% | 91.0% | 5.2% |
| Rhode Island | 2.49 | 41.6 | 11.7% | 36.4% | 9.2% | 1961 | $1,448 | 37.8% | 89.4% | 5.9% |
| Connecticut | 2.55 | 42.1 | 11.4% | 33.5% | 7.9% | 1967 | $1,702 | 42.3% | 91.2% | 5.6% |
| New York | 2.65 | 40.8 | 11.6% | 45.7% | 9.7% | 1961 | $1,794 | 39.8% | 87.3% | 6.6% |
| New Jersey | 2.76 | 40.9 | 11.3% | 36.2% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,896 | 43.4% | 90.2% | 6.4% |
| Delaware | 2.58 | 43.0 | 12.3% | 27.0% | 9.6% | 1984 | $1,514 | 35.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 2.46 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 30.7% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,323 | 35.6% | 91.8% | 5.4% |
| Maryland | 2.68 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 32.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,869 | 43.4% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: South Dakota · Mississippi · Montana · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · Puerto Rico · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Alaska
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 Maine. 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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