Pros, cons, key stats, and the strongest Maine cities to consider. Based on our analysis of 38 tracked Maine city markets.
Yes, for many movers. The better answer is city-specific: Maine contains both stronger and weaker markets, and the right fit depends on your budget, job needs, climate tolerance, and tax situation.
Pros
- Social Security is not taxed by the state
- Middle-of-the-pack tracked-city housing ($350,960)
- Healthy housing-market momentum in tracked cities (71/100 median)
- Skowhegan is one of the strongest current city signals in Maine
Cons
- High top state income-tax rate (7.15%)
- State averages hide major city-by-city differences
- Best-known places can price above the statewide median
What this means in practice
Across 38 tracked Maine city markets, the median home costs $350,960 with a 1-year change of +1.1% and a median momentum score of 71 out of 100.
On taxes, Income tax up to 7.15%. Higher property tax. 5.5% sales. SS untaxed; pension exclusion $35k. That matters because the cheapest state on paper can still be expensive if property tax, insurance, or local housing costs overwhelm the headline rate.
State-level averages mask city-level variation — within any state, individual cities can have radically different cost, climate, and trajectory. Use the strongest-momentum cities below as a starting point.
Top 5 Maine cities by momentum
- Skowhegan — momentum 79, median $223,851
- Winslow — momentum 78, median $292,871
- Waterville — momentum 77, median $247,046
- Lewiston — momentum 76, median $296,546
- Old Orchard Beach — momentum 75, median $507,308