Bangor, ME — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

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Penobscot County · Bangor · population 32,446

First-time buyersInvestors
Bangor, ME
Image: Wikipedia · Bangor, Maine
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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72
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Bangor stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.7% annual growth over 5 years. rents up 5.3% in the last year.

Median home $284,092
1-year +0.9%
5-yr CAGR +7.7%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$284k$128k$184k$240k$295k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,518/mo$0$805$1,610202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent14513880100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.6
Lean buy

At a 15.6 price-to-rent ratio, Bangor is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
55 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
77 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
56 · w16%
Rent YoY
80 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
78 · w10%
Long thesis

Bangor has held up across the cycle: home values at $284,092 with +7.7% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Bangor's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Bangor

Bangor is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, with an estimated population of 32,446. The population grew 0.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Bangor is $284,092 as of 2026-04, up 0.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.7% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Bangor average $1,518 per month, up 5.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 72 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.7% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 5.3% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Bangor (Wikipedia)

Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's third-most populous city, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121). Bangor is known as the "Queen City".

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Penobscot County right now.

NWS active alerts (ME)Maine Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Penobscot County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Bangor

Auburn, ME71 · RisingSanford, ME70 · RisingBiddeford, ME66 · RisingSaco, ME71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Bangor

ToolCan I afford Bangor?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Bangor rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Bangor to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolBangor cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
28° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
80° / 58°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
196
~54% of year
Annual precip
45″ rain
60″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Bangor listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Bangor area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$71,800
Maine state median
Top industries (state-level)
HealthcareTourismForestry/Paper

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Bangor

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